Lucknow, Dec 19 (DHNS): The hard fought BJP victory in the Gujarat assembly polls is likely to give a boost to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's stature in the saffron party.

Adityanath had extensively campaigned in the Gujarat assembly elections and the number of rallies addressed by him were next only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP sources here said Adityanath addressed around three dozen election rallies in different parts of Gujarat. He was among the star campaigners of the BJP in the state.

''If any other BJP leader was in demand in Gujarat after Modi, it was Adityanath,'' said a senior UP BJP leader, speaking to DH here on Monday.

A large number of migrants from the state lived and worked in different towns, especially Surat, Rajkot and others, in Gujarat, and Adityanath was able to ensure their support for the party in the polls, he added.

The leader said that the UP chief minister was also likely to campaign extensively for the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and even in Karnataka next year.

Oppn differs

The Opposition parties here, however, sought to differ. They said that Adityanath was asked to campaign in Gujarat only to ''communalise'' the election. ''Adityanath is known for his hardline Hindutva...his presence in election campaigns is only to seek votes in the name of religion,'' said a senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader.