Akhilesh hits back: Cong may get zero seats this time

“This is an election for UP, and people of the state want to remove the BJP. The people see only the Samajwadi Party as an alternative. The least the Congress should do is make it clear whether they want to remove the BJP or not. If we see their policies, programmes and decisions, then there is no difference between the BJP and Congress. They are the same,” he said.

Asked about Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s tweet on a temple in Mathura, he said: “The BJP people remember God in every difficulty. And it is natural. Whenever anyone is in difficulty, they remember God and we shouldn’t forget that there is a bhajan ‘bhooke pet na hoye bhajan, Gopala’ (one can’t pray on a hungry stomach).
Today, people want jobs. Farmers want their income to increase, and common people want price rise to be controlled. These questions should be answered by the BJP.”

On his alliances with smaller parties, the SP chief said: “The idea will be to do seat-sharing on the basis of winnability. Candidates who can win will be given tickets, irrespective of whether they are from ally parties or SP.”

Asked whether the 2022 elections in UP will be indicative of the general elections in 2024, he said: “It is natural because UP is the biggest state. This state has given the Prime Minister, President and Defence Minister. The maximum number of BJP MPs are from UP. The results of UP will be important for the country’s politics.”

He accused the BJP of doing politics of hate and dividing people. “The BJP is against all minorities. They are against women, Muslims and even Christians… The highest number of custodial deaths, notices for fake encounters have happened under the BJP government in UP. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the only CM who has withdrawn cases against himself,” he alleged.