Why mafias in jail dear to Akhilesh Yadav: Nadda attacks SP

Attacking Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Saturday asked why the mafias lodged in jail are dear to Akhilesh Yadav.

Addressing the public meeting here, the BJP chief said, "There were only mafia and gundaraj five years ago. People have not forgotten the Muzaffarnagar riots or the forced migration of Kairana. Remember the Muzaffarnagar riots? Even the Supreme court condemned and said that the riots were a result of Akhilesh Yadav's government's failure."

"The Supreme Court also observed that the arrangements for compensation by the SP government were such that only a particular religious community could benefit. Court had said the riot was not just negligence but administrative failure. But today, there are no mafias. Now mafias are either in jail or outside the state. But why these people in jail are dear to SP? Even Akhilesh Yadav supports these people in jail from outside," he added.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Nadda said, "Gandhiji used to talk about cleanliness. The real Gandhiji left, after that all the Gandhis who came only did politics. They did not make any difference. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came, he told from the ramparts of the Red Fort that the Swachhata campaign would be carried out and Swachhata would be brought into the country."

Slamming the Opposition parties, Nadda said the Opposition have limited vision and never cared for the nation's development.

"Opposition never cared for nation's development. They only cared for their families' development. They have limited vision. Today, with PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, no poor person has any shortage of food. This is the difference between BJP and them."

The polling for the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP had won a landslide victory, winning 312 Assembly seats. The party had secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. SP had bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while the Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

( With inputs from ANI )