Lucknow, Oct. 18 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday accused the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and independent alliances of continuing to follow the British 'divide and rule' policy, creating fissures in the society based on caste, community and religion to undermine national unity and integrity. Addressing the BJP's state-level workshop ahead of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary celebrations at the Atal Convention Centre, Adityanath said: "When India was gaining independence, the British conspired to divide the country into multiple parts, ensuring that India could never be united." "However, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with his extraordinary vision and determination, merged 563 princely states into the Indian Republic, strengthening national unity," he added. He stated that the united India, from north to south and east to west, is a gift from Sardar Patel. To honour him, National Unity Day is celebrated every year on October 31 on his birth anniversary. The BJP, along with the central and state governments, is working to realise Sardar Patel's dream of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, the chief minister said. He emphasised that when the Opposition engages in divisive politics, it is the BJP's responsibility to spread the message of unity and integrity to every village and assembly. He announced that a 'Run for Unity' will be held across the state on October 31. From November 1 to 26, an 8-10 km 'Ekta Padyatra' will take place in every assembly constituency. Retired army personnel, farmers, workers, BJP-affiliated organisations, National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, NCC cadets and Scout and Guide members will participate. During the padyatra, slogans such as "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," "Vande Mataram", and "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Amar Rahein" will be raised. Halts will be arranged every two kilometres to facilitate interaction with local communities and spread the message of unity. He emphasised that this programme should not be merely ceremonial; every worker must ensure active participation. From booth-level workers to district officials, everyone must be involved, he added. On the occasion of Constitution Day that will be celebrated on November 26 to honour Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, five youths from each district will be sent to Delhi and participate in a march to Gujarat till December 6. This journey aims to inspire the youth nationwide by highlighting the contributions of both Sardar Patel and Babasaheb, he said. He said that those who tried to break India's unity in 1946-47 could never have imagined that India would surpass Britain to become the fourth-largest economy and soon emerge as the third-largest economy. He stated that making India a developed nation by 2047 should be the commitment of every Indian. He urged citizens to purchase Swadeshi products during festivals to support local artisans, women's groups, and the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, emphasising that buying indigenous goods strengthens the nation's economy. The workshop was attended by BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, BJP state general secretary (organisation) Dharmpal Singh, coordinator Sanjay Rai, state vice-president Devesh Kori, BJP state minister Shankar Lodhi, along with a large number of party officials, elected representatives and workers....