Maharashtra Elections 2024: Yogi Adityanath campaigns on bulldozer? No, viral video shows BJP worker

Hyderabad: Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, has earned the informal moniker ‘bulldozer baba’ for his government’s aggressive approach to law enforcement and handling of alleged illegal properties and encroachments.

In this context, a video circulating on social media shows two men standing inside the loader of a moving JCB amid a cheering crowd. One of the men is wearing a BJP scarf, while the other is clad in saffron attire – similar to what Yogi is usually seen wearing. The accompanying claim suggests that the video shows UP CM Yogi Adityanath campaigning for a BJP candidate.

An X user shared the video and wrote, “The bulldozer has become almost synonymous with his identity, and living up to people’s trust is Yogi Ji’s hallmark.” (Archive)

Right-wing X account and frequent spreader of misinformation, Baba Banaras, shared the video with the caption: “The Swag of Yogi Ji...Seeing this scene, some people might be feeling a snake lying on their chest.”

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The man in saffron attire is a BJP worker, not Yogi Adityanath. The individual wearing the BJP scarf is Harish Pimple, an MLA candidate from the Murtizapur Assembly Constituency in Maharashtra.

Upon conducting a reverse image search of the video’s keyframes, we found it published by ABP Majha on November 6. The channel stated that a BJP candidate had brought a look-alike of Yogi Adityanath for his campaign in Maharashtra’s Akola.

For further confirmation, NewsMeter spoke to Pimple, who clarified that the bulldozer rally took place after Yogi Adityanath’s rally in Murtizapur, Akola district, but he was not the one standing on the bulldozer’s loader.

He explained, “I was standing on the shovel (loader) along with a BJP worker, who had enthusiastically joined the rally dressed in saffron.” Pimple also mentioned that he does not know the name of the BJP worker.

According to reports from The Times of India and Hindustan Times, the UP chief minister addressed public meetings on November 6 in support of Mahayuti (NDA alliance) candidates in Washim, Amravati and Akola. Neither report mentions Yogi leading a bulldozer rally.

Pimple also posted pictures on X from Yogi’s rally in Murtizapur, Akola, on November 6, calling him a ‘Hindu warrior’.

Hence, we conclude that the claim is false.