Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh, charging that the present regime has only spread hatred, ruined the future of youths and pushed the State into backwardness.
Addressing a public meeting at GIC grounds to launch the fifth phase of his Samajwadi Vijay Rath Yatra in Banda on Wednesday, Akhilesh questioned the people whether they needed a Yogi Government or a `yogya’ (responsible) and development-oriented Government. He said that those who could not use laptops would never provide it to the youths.
“Now it is the right time for the people to show the door to the ruling BJP for making false promises. During its nearly five-year regime, the BJP government only renamed places and the projects conceived and launched during Samajwadi Party regime,” alleged the SP chief, who is on a three-day tour of Bundelkhand region and will take out Samajwadi Vijay Rath Yatra from Banda to Mahoba.
Akhilesh was scheduled to address a rally near Mahoba Police Lines later in the day and on Thursday, he would go to Lalitpur and address a public rally.
On Wednesday morning, the SP chief reached Banda and embarked on the fifth leg of ‘Samajwadi Vijay Rath Yatra’ with a focus on Bundelkhand region of the state. On the first day of the fifth leg of the Yatra, Akhilesh Yadav covered the distance from Banda to Mahoba and stopped randomly to meet and greet people.
On Thursday, Akhilesh will address a public meeting in Lalitpur and the Yatra will reach Jhansi district on Friday. Earlier in November, he had embarked on the fourth leg of Vijay Yatra from Ghazipur to Lucknow through Purvanchal Expressway, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the highway on November 16.
The SP chief had shared the stage with allies Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar and Janwadi Party (Socialist) chief Sanjay Chauhan on the occasion.
The Rath Yatra is considered a lucky charm by the Samajwadi Party as in 2012, Akhilesh had taken out a Yatra and the party was voted to power.
Decorated with pictures of party patron and former chief minister of UP Mulayam Singh Yadav, party MP Mohammad Azam Khan, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, and state party president Naresh Uttam Patel and embossed with the slogan ‘Bado Ka Haath, Yuva Ka Saath’ (the older generation blesses the new) the bus is ferrying the SP chief across the state during the Rath Yatra.