Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav stepped up attacks on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP refused to recognise the SP as its main rival in the first phase of polling.
After the conclusion of the first phase, BJP chief Amit Shah had said 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 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, Akhilesh 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.