Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying “the BJP’s plane of lies won’t be able to land in Uttar Pradesh this time”. Both the leaders targeted the UP Chief Minister over Covid-19 mismanagement in the State.
Addressing the media with Akhilesh in Lucknow, Mamata urged people to not waste their vote on the BJP in the coming UP Assembly elections.
Mamata launched a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after his physical visit to Bijnor was cancelled citing “bad weather” on Monday, and said, “The BJP’s plane of lies won’t be able to land in Uttar Pradesh this time.”
Targeting the UP Chief Minister, TMC leader said “Yogi Adityanath had come to Bengal to defeat us...where were you when people were dying of Covid,” she said. Speaking about the reports of bodies floating in the river Ganga, Mamata asked whether the Uttar Pradesh Government didn’t have woods to cremate them.
“We revere Ganga ma. And here you threw dead bodies in the Ganga. Many dead bodies floated to Bengal. We picked up those bodies and respectfully cremated them. Did you not have wood to cremate the bodies?” she asked rhetorically.
Attacking BJP Akhilesh said, “The BJP deployed its entire strength in West Bengal but they could not defeat Didi. She has come to Lucknow from Kolkata but those from BJP couldn’t come to UP from Delhi stating ‘bad weather’. BJP’s plane of lies won’t be able to land in UP this time.”
PM Modi on Monday while addressing the Bijnor rally virtually said that his helicopter couldn’t leave due to weather conditions, so he thought of holding the rally through video conferencing.
West Bengal Chief Minister said, “History will never forgive those responsible for Hathras, Unnao incidents and bodies dumped in the Ganga in UP during COVID-19.”
“CM Yogi Adityanath, where were you when these things were happening? Yogi Ji must apologise to the people of Uttar Pradesh. I urge you all to support Samajwadi party and make them win, defeat BJP. Don’t fall for false promises made by BJP... I will also visit Varanasi on March 3,” she said.
Earlier, Banerjee informed that TMC will not contest the Uttar Pradesh elections but will field candidates in the State in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
“In Uttar Pradesh, I am not going to contest Assembly polls but I am going to support Samajwadi party Chief Akhilesh Yadav. TMC will contest in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” she said, reflecting her national ambitions in the next general elections. The TMC is seeking to increase its footprint nationally ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
On Tuesday, the BJP released its manifesto for the UP polls after postponing it for two days as a mark of respect to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away on Sunday morning. Banerjee said that the saffron party released its manifesto today on hearing that she would be in Lucknow. “Don’t know if it is a manifesto or ‘Moneyfesto’,” she said.
The TMC leader asked the BJP to seek forgiveness over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which a Union Minister’s son is accused of running over protesting farmers.”Do you have any shame? Farmers were protesting and your Minister’s son killed farmers by running them over with vehicles. At least seek forgiveness,” she said.
The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.