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Those with BJP won’t be taken onboard: Akhilesh on likelihood of Maya joining INDIA
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav has stated that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will not be included in the INDIA alliance if it remains with the BJP. He also criticized the Congress for claiming it will contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh expressed hope that the INDIA coalition will win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He also attacked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over a recent murder allegedly involving a member of the party.
Commenting on the possible inclusion of the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the INDIA bloc, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said: “Those who are with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) won’t be taken on board the INDIA alliance. Distance will be maintained from those who are with the BJP.”
Akhilesh was speaking to newspersons during his one-day tour of Sultanpur. He made the above statement when asked if there was any possibility of the BSP being included into the opposition alliance.
Also, in an apparent dig at the Congress’ local leadership for claiming that it was preparing to contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh said: “Why only 80? They may contest many more seats across the country. The Congress deserves to decide how many seats they want to contest, but when it comes to the INDIA alliance, the decision will be taken by the Congress’ national leadership. When discussions are being held at the national level, then such questions should not come up. Such questions seem an attempt to create a rift (in the alliance).”
Akhilesh evinced hope that the INDIA coalition would win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “The public will come in support of INDIA and it will win. Also, the BJP will suffer its worst defeat in Uttar Pradesh.”
Akhilesh also attacked the BJP government in the state over the murder of a doctor in Sultanpur allegedly carried out by a cousin of the district president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (an outfit of the BJP) over a property dispute. He said: “Bulldozer’s steering is in the BJP’s hands. Whenever any BJP person is at fault, then the bulldozer’s keys get misplaced. Wherever there are murders over land disputes, the BJP’s people are involved.” By “bulldozer’s steering” and “keys” Akhilesh meant that the BJP government ‘acted’ and ‘demolished’ properties of those from rival parties when it wanted to act against them, but didn’t do the same when it came to taking action against the BJP people.
He said he attempted to visit the slain doctor Ghanshyam Tiwari, but the police did not allow him citing law and order issue.
Akhilesh was in Sultanpur to express condolences with the family of former SP MLA Abrar Ahmed, who died of ill health in August.
