Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav stepped up attacks on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP refused to recognise SP as its main rival in the first phase of polling.
After tehg conclusion of the first phase, BJP chief Amit Shah had said that the Bahujan Samaj Party would be his party’s main rival in the rest six phases of Assembly polls.
“The first phase of Assembly election has set the ball rolling for the formation of SP –Congress alliance government. The BJP leaders are under tremendous stress and many had to consult doctors for checking their blood pressure,’’ said Yadav while addressing six meetings in Kannauj and Hardoi.
Akhilesh Yadav himself made his political debut from from Kannauj lok Sabha seat in 1999 and was also elected in 2004 and 2009 lok Sabha elections from this seat.
Addressing a meeting in Chhibramau, Yadav said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to Kannauj on Wednesday. Beware of him. He may throw some new `jumla’ or make some new promise.
In 2014 lok Sabha polls, the BJP had posed a tough challenge for Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav who won by a narrow margin of 12,000 votes.
“If the Prime Minister travels even 5 km on the lucknow –Agra Expressway, he will have a change of heart and would vote for the Samajwadi Party,’’ said Akhilesh.
Addressing an election rally in lakhimpur on Monday, the Prime Minister had taken a dig at the Akhilesh Yadav’s campaign phrase iof ‘kaam bolta hai’ and said that Akhilesh had been fooling the people and has little work to show. He also questioned as to why the Akhilesh government was not showing its own report card and keeps blaming the Centre for the state’s woes.
Modi had also said that he would be going to lucknow and invited Akhilesh Yadav to take a ride with him in the lucknow Metro. ``let’s see if it runs,” the PM had said.
Replying to the PM’s taunt, Akhilesh said in Kannauj, “Trials for running the lucknow Metro are on. If the PM gives the No Objection certificate (NOC) to lucknow Metro Rail Corporation, then the metro will commence commercial operations. I am ready to travel with the PM in lucknow Metro.’’
Targeting Modi, the CM said, “The people have heard a lot of the PM’s `man ki baat’ on radio and TV. But when will the PM do `kaam ki baat’. People were more interested in results rather than tall promises being made by the Pm for the last three years.’’