Let 2017 polls be a referendum on UP law and order, dares Arun Jaitley

ALLAHABAD: With the clash in Mathura between police and encroachers and the alleged exodus of Hindu families from Kairana district becoming the BJP’s campaign theme,

ALLAHABAD: With the clash in Mathura between police and encroachers and the alleged exodus of Hindu families from Kairana district becoming the BJP’s campaign theme, the party challenged the ruling Samajwadi Party to accept the 2017 polls as a referendum on the law and order situation in the state.

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“Let next year’s election be a referendum on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. If that happens, the Samajwadi Party will be in serious trouble,” finance minister Arun Jaitley said.

Jaitley was responding to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s barbs against the BJP for making false claims about the law and order situation in the state.

On a visit to Mathura on Sunday, Yadav had said, “Since the elections are near and they don’t have any issue to raise, they are trying to downplay the development work done by us with such false assertions.”

The BJP campaign for next year’s election will revolve around the alleged deterioration in the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh as the party feels it has hindered the development of the state. BJP chief Amit Shah had told the party’s national executive members on Sunday that increasing violence in UP was a ‘serious concern’.