Yogi Adityanath's Hindu Yuva Vahini set for complete revamp to assist BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth outfit founded by Yogi Adityanath as his personal force in 2002, is set for a complete revamp, with two major objectives -- an image makeover and helping the BJP in its expansion in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Reports suggest that a name change too could be on the cards. 

On August 3, the Hindu Yuva Vahini dissolved all its organisational units. Adityanath had founded the HYV on Ram Navami in 2002 with the objective of promoting ‘Hindutva and nationalism. In the subsequent years, it went on to play a significant role in his political rise in Uttar Pradesh.

Among the plans is a steady expansion of the Vahini beyond UP to other states. The outfit now has a strong presence in the eastern UP districts of Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar, Azamgarh, Mau, Sant Kabir Nagar and Basti.

When Adityanath became the Chief Minister in March 2017, HYV members believed that their fortunes would look up too. A little more than a year after his ascent to power, the HYV found itself in unprecedented churn.

Later, some members launched a breakaway group called the Hindu Yuva Vahini (Bharat) amid seething discontent over the group`s perceived side-lining by the BJP.

Sunil Singh, a former aide to Adityanath and President of Hindu Yuva Vahini (Bharat), had said the group would open offices in various states to spread its ideology.

"We were side-lined in the organisation for demanding tickets during the 2017 Assembly elections. After Maharaj ji (Adityanath) became the Chief Minister, we hoped that the founder members of HYV would be given important positions in the district and division units, but our hopes were soon dashed," he had said.

The Indian Express quoted sources saying that the proposed revamp of HYV was imperative considering that the outfit continues to be closely linked to Adityanath, though he had tried to clamp down on its aggressive ways after he became the chief minister of UP in 2017. 

The organisation was accused of forcibly entering homes alleging love jihad, imposing moral policing and attacking alleged cattle smugglers. They had piped down only after Adityanath’s rap to avoid controversies.