launching a blistering attack on the Samajwadi Party, state BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Mulayam Singh Yadav seems to have lost faith in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and had therefore appointed Shivpal Singh Yadav as in-charge of UP affairs.
“It is humiliating for Akhilesh Yadav. Besides being the CM, he is also the state SP chief. Now, Mulayam Singh has appointed Shivpal as the party’s UP in-charge. What does it indicate IJ It shows that the party brass has lost faith in Akhilesh as the CM and as the state chief,” Maurya said after his maiden meeting with party office bearers in lucknow on Wednesday.
The BJP leader said that Akhilesh has been claiming his return to power and has been asking people to vote for the Samajwadi Party. “He should first ask Mulayam Singh ji whether he has faith in him,” he asked. “What’s happening in the ruling party is a clear pointer that the Akhilesh Yadav government is on its way out,” he asserted.
“Sapa sarkar ki hawa nikal gayee hai,” (This party and the government has been exposed) Maurya said.
It is probably the worst attacks that the BJP has launched on the ruling SP. Till now BJP’s barbs were limited to the law and order situation of UP and Akhilesh’s failure to speed up development. Attacking an internal family issue and questioning Shivpal Yadav’s elevation as party’s poll in-charge is a rare first for the BJP.
In the same vein, the state BJP chief termed the BSP as a casteist party and the Congress, a party which is relying more on a poll manager than its workers. “Compare the BJP with these parties. We are a party of dedicated soldiers. Over 2 crore workers will take part in poll management. Between April 17 and 24, party leaders and workers held chaupals at 35545 villages and on April 24 alone, leaders were able to penetrate 32123 gram sabhas,” he pointed out.
Maurya said that his party is ready for the 2017 Assembly polls. "Out of 1.40 lakh booths, we have set up committees in 1.07 lakh booths and will do so in the remaining 33,000 booths," said he.
Earlier in Wednesday's meeting, BJP leaders spoke on issues that the party should raise in the future even as UP in-charge Om Prakash Mathur lisstened intently.
General Secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal, leader of BJP legislature party in Assembly Suresh Khanna, leader of party in Council Hridaya Narain Dixit and other office bearers attended the meeting.