LUCKNOW: Former UP CM Kalyan Singh’s enduring legacy was evident when top BJP members, including CM Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, descended on his native place in Aligarh to pay tributes to him on his fourth death anniversary on Thursday. Kalyan is credited with taking BJP beyond the moorings of primarily an upper caste party by giving a formula to bring backwards under its umbrella.The gratitude to Singh, fondly called ‘Babuji’, was evident when paying tribute to him, CM Yogi noted that Singh’s ideals became the foundation for good governance and security in UP and India under BJP govt. He remembered Singh as someone who dedicated his life to preservation of Indian culture, nationalism and public service.

AddressingHindu Gaurav Diwas event, Yogi said ‘Babuji’ imbibed the values of nationalism from RSS: “As a teacher and later as a BJP worker, he devoted his life to Bharat Mata and Bharatiyata.” “Singh sacrificed his CM post in 1992 for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and later took full responsibility when the disputed structure in Ayodhya was demolished, ensuring that no devotee of Lord Ram was harmed. It was he who paved the way for the grand Ram temple due to his exemplary courage,” he said.Recalling Singh’s contribution, Pradhan said, “In 1990s, when UP was in turmoil, he established the foundation of good governance. Yogi is carrying forward that legacy…”