LUCKNOW: Union Defence Minister and BJP's candidate from Lucknow, Rajnath Singh, said that he tried to fulfil the dreams of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and left no stone unturned for the city's development.

Addressing a public meeting in Lucknow, the Defence Minister on Tuesday remembered Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision for Lucknow and said that he would take Vajpayee ji's vision forward.

"We have diligently worked towards realising Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji's vision for Lucknow, and we remain committed to advancing it further in the future. Lucknow currently ranks tenth globally, and we aim to elevate it to the fifth position," Singh said.

He further thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for their wholehearted support in the progress of Lucknow.

"PM Modi has all its support in the constituency's development. However, the pace of developmental work is possible because of the CM. CM Yogi instantaneously approved every proposal I presented to him without any hesitation. This paved the way for Lucknow's swift progress," he added.

Singh said the BJP fulfilled all its promises made in the party manifesto, be it the abrogation of Article 370 or the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, addressing a public rally in support of BJP candidate from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CM Yogi Adityanath said that India had become self-reliant in the defence sector and the state capital had become a centre for manufacturing BrahMos missiles

"For Lucknow, it was said, 'Muskuraiye, Aap Lucknow mein hain' (Smile, you are in Lucknow). But there were not enough conditions to smile about. Now, New India is secure because the defence sector is 'Atma Nirbhar' as Lucknow is the centre of India's Brahmos missile. When the missile made here roars at the borders, the enemy gets scared. When a cracker bursts somewhere, Pakistan clarifies that it was not it, because Pakistan is scared of the missile made in Lucknow," he said.

He said Gomti will soon get a new lease of life as Rajnath Singh had inaugurated the STP for it recently.

Lucknow will vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20. Rajnath Singh will face Samajwadi Party candidate Ravidas Mehrotra from this seat.

Rajnath Singh in 2019 had defeated Samajwadi Party Poonam Shatrughan Sinha with over 6.3 lakh votes. He had defeated Congress candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi by a margin of 2,72,749 votes in 2014.