The Samajwadi Party seems to have gone into election mode with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announcing development projects amounting to `88,065 crore in two days.
He also used the occasion to assert that only the Samajwadi Party could fight communal forces and that it would play a key role in the formation of a secular Government at the Centre post-poll.
However, Yadav, who was earlier praised for denying SP ticket to mafa-turned-politician DP Yadav in the 2012 Assembly election, on Monday defended selection of ganglord Atiq Ahmad as party candidate for the coming lok Sabha poll. Justifying the SP’s decision to field Atiq Ahmad from Sultanpur, he said the party had to look into winnability of a candidate as well.
Addressing mediapersons soon after launching development package of over `72,300 crore at his Kalidas Marg official residence on Monday, Yadav sought to justify the selection of Atiq Ahmad for the lok Sabha poll saying the party had to take into account various factors, including winnability of a candidate.