BJP a confused party as it questions both, presence and absence of Netaji, from poll campaign, says Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is a confused party as it questions both, the presence and the absence of Netaji (SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav) from the poll campaign.

BJP is a confused party. They have a problem when Mulayam Singh Yadav comes close. They also have a problem when he goes away. Should we learn from BJP how to conduct ourselves?" said Akhilesh Yadav while campaigning in Raebareli.

"BJP should thank me for not saying anything about their families. I don't utter a word, as this poll is on the issues of unemployment, inflation, etc," he added.

Making his first appearance in the ongoing election trail, Mulayam also held a rally in the Karhal constituency in the Mainpuri district from where Akhilesh Yadav is contesting the 2022 assembly election.

Mulayam Singh Yadav's name is also present on the list of 'Star campaigners' of the Samajwadi Party, making it clear that he might be seen in more rallies in the coming phases of UP elections.

Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a jibe at the SP chief saying that Akhilesh is insecure about his own seat and so brought his father Mulayam Singh Yadav to campaign for him.

"They are about to lose the seat that they (SP) were considering as the safest. It is getting out of their hands. You must have seen, the father (Mulayam S Yadav) who was pushed away from the stage, was humiliated and his party was captured, had to plead to save his son's seat", said PM Modi in Unnao.

Taking a jibe at incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the SP chief said "Bulldozer Baba is saying 'garmi shant ker denge' (will cool off the enthusiasm of opposition). His 'garmi' got cooled off by looking at the outcome in two phases of polls. By the time election ends, no one from BJP will be found at poll booths."

"Public is against the BJP. Post-election they will face the 'current of 440 volts' (will be surprised by the result), that is why they are changing their poll strategy. They should come clean in front of people on what they did in last five years. Spreading lies won't help them anymore," he said.

"They are not helping farmers who have harvested mustard. They are instead focusing on benefiting their industrialist friends. They are promoting the companies based in Malaysia and Indonesia by backing refined oil," he added.

Former chief minister expressing confidence in the victory of his party and said by the time fourth phase polls gets finished SP will cross two centuries (200 seats).

"Even during the 2017 wave when BJP won many crucial seats, SP's Manoj Pandey was undefeated from Raibareli seat. I am confident the same result will be repeated once again," he said.

Three of the seven phases of UP Assembly elections have been completed and the voting for the remaining phases will continue on February 23, February 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )