lauding the virtues of his party’s alliance with the Congress, Samajwadi Party president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that the ‘bicycle’ will run faster with the help of the ‘hand’.
Flanked on the dais by former Congress MP leader Zafar Ali Naqvi and his son who is a Congress candidate from Palia segment of the district, Yadav addressed three election meetings in lakhimpur on Wednesday.
On Sunday last, the SP and Congress sealed a pre-poll alliance for the Assembly polls. The ruling party will field candidates in 298 seats while the Congress will contest the remaining 105 seats.
During his address at these meetings, the Chief Minister targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of being a ‘dream merchant’ who made false promises to the people during the last lok Sabha polls in 2014.
Outlining the significance of the Assembly polls, Yadav said, “Though it is the election for a state assembly, its results will decide the direction of national politics.’’
Explaining the importance of the SP-Congress truck, Yadav said, “I know that you are bicycle riders. Now there is a hand (election symbol of the Congress) to support it and the cycle will run faster.’’
Former Congress MP from lakhimpur Zafar Ali Naqvi along with his son Saif Naqvi were also present on the dais with the Chief Minister. Naqvi Junior is the Congress candidate from Pallia Assembly segment of lakhimpur.
District Congress chief Raghevendra Bahadur Singh however stayed away from the CM’s functions.
On being contacted, Singh said, “I was not invited by the Samajwadi Party for the function.Zafar Ali Naqvi was. So how could I attend the event. It is a question of honour and prestige of the party.’’
Addressing the whistle stop meetings, Yadav hit out at the BJP prophesying that the saffron party would have to do an ‘ulta asana’ as people would vote against it in the upcoming Assembly polls.
“The people will come out in large numbers to vote against the BJP and make the party do ‘ulta asan. Countrymen were forced to stand in queues to withdraw money from banks and ATMs following demonetisation of highvalue notes. People got nothing in the bargain and the government not only failed to flush out black money, but also lost huge tax revenue,’’ asserted the Chief Minister.
Targeting the BJP for its promise of ‘acche din’, Yadav said, “We have seen cold, hot, rainy and foggy days but where are the ‘acche din’, The BJP only misled the people. The SP fulfilled what it promised and served all sections of the society without discrimination.’’
Taking a jibe the BJP for the surgical strikes, the CM questioned, “Several jawans were martyred on the border. What assistance was given to the bereaved families. It was the SP government which provided an ex gratia to the families.”
Yadav also targeted arch rival Bahujan Samaj Party saying, “This party has nothing to bost about. It can only credit itself with installing stone statues of elephants which never move from their places.’’
During the meetings, Akhilesh Yadav was flanked by former party MP Ravi Prakash Verma, district SP chief Anurag Patel and SP candidate Yashpal Choudhary and other leaders of the party.