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After CBI, Akhilesh Yadav targets Election Commission of India
About reports that AIMIM plans to field Lok Sabha candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav said they had put up nominees earlier also.
Apparently targeting the Election Commission of India (ECI), Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged that perhaps a strategy is being made for “cutting” the SP votes.
His remark coincided with the ECI team’s visit to Lucknow to hold meetings on Lok Sabha poll preparations.
The SP chief made the comment the day after calling the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) an agency that works as a wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Ho sakta hai ki ranniti bana rahein ho ki Samajwadion ko kaise rokein (Maybe they are making a strategy on how to stop the Samajwadis),” he said at a press conference at the party’s state headquarters on Friday. The former chief minister was replying to a question on ECI meetings in Lucknow on poll preparations.
He also appeared to refer to the SP rebel leaders, who had cross-voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls, and former allies. “Whosoever we foster, betrays,” he said.
Akhilesh also alleged that rebel MLAs received inducements in cash and kind.
About reports that AIMIM plans to field Lok Sabha candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh said they had put up nominees earlier also.
“They (AIMIM) are asking for tickets from us. Where are the seats left to share with them? Anyway, it is we who are getting betrayed while giving tickets in alliance.”
Without naming Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and its chief Jayant Chaudhary , he said: “Can anyone win with just nine MLAs? But with us (he) got victory”.
Jayant Chaudhary went to Rajya Sabha in the previous biennial elections with the SP’s support.
In the February 27 Rajya Sabha polls, the nine RLD MLAs voted for the BJP, the party’s new ally.
Asked as to when the SP will act against the rebel MLAs, Akhilesh said: “Leave it aside. We are moving on”.
NEW SLOGAN
Raising the campaign pitch as the Lok Sabha elections draw near, Yadav raised the slogan “80 harao, Loktantra bachao” (Defeat BJP in all 80 Lok Sabha starts to save democracy).
“Our leaders and workers will spread out to each and every village with the slogan ‘80 harao, Loktantra bachao’. The BJP will be sent packing,” he said to reporters.
