LS polls: Situation 'serious' in UP, CM Yogi should stay back, says Raut

Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's rally in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region on Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the CM should stay back in UP, claiming the situation there is "serious".

Five Lok Sabha seats in the Vidarbha region, including Nagpur from where Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is contesting, will go to polls in the first phase of parliamentary elections on April 19.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Raut said, "Yogi Adityanath should stay back in UP as the situation is serious there. In UP, the situation is more serious than it looks. I am well aware of it. The party (BJP) has to seek votes in the country even after being in power for 10 years."

PM Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting later in the day in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district, which is in the Vidarbha region.

Targeting the PM, Rajya Sabha member Raut claimed, "Modi is campaigning using government money. It is a violation of the code of conduct.