Priests 'purify' CM's bungalow

Hindu seers and priests on Monday made elaborate arrangements for sacred purifying rituals at the sprawling chief minister's bungalow here which will be the new home for hardline Hindutva mascot Yogi Adityanath. The five-time MP from Gorakhpur, who was sworn in as the 21st chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, stayed at the VVIP Guest House overnight and has decided not to enter the bungalow without conducting prayers and purification rituals like 'Yagna'.

Even before dawn broke, seven priests from Gorakhpur and Allahabad trooped into the chief minister's official residence for conducting prayers. Adityanath, 44 , was not present during the prayers. The controversial mascot of hardline Hindutva was expected to enter the bungalow only at an auspicious time which is being finalised.

'Aditya Nath Yogi, Chief Minister' says the new nameplate in Hindi outside the 5, Kalidas road bungalow, which was occupied by Akhilesh Yadav for five years before his Samajwadi Party was trounced by the "saffron tsunami" in the state Assembly elections. Akhilesh's father Mulayam Singh Yadav, now SP patron, and BSP supremo Mayawati were among the earlier occupants.