UP by-polls | Yogi addresses rallies, slams 'Samajwadi Pariwar'

Lucknow: A day before the campaigning ends for by-elections for a parliamentary and two assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, leaders of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, including ministers, toiled hard in Mainpuri, Rampur and Khatauli constituencies. Dozens of Samajwadi Party leaders, too, have been camping there and giving sleepless nights to their opponents.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday addressed a rally in Mainpuri and targeted the SP as well as the Yadav family. He said the party has fielded Mrs Dimple Yadav, the daughter-in-law of late Mulayam Singh Yadav, sensing defeat.

He said the socialism of the party has nothing to do with Jayaprakash Narayan or Ram Manohar Lohia but it is based on opportunism.

Seeking votes for BJP candidate Raghuraj Shakya, Mr Yogi said, “People of Mainpuri need Ram Rajya and not Samajwad. Samajwadi Party leaders have lost their senses, and blame the Election Commission and EVMs.”

He saidthe SP has been accusing BJP leaders of conniving with police officials and blaming them for its near-certain defeat. The fact is that the SP leaders worked for themselves during their regime and not the people of Mainpuri.

Former CM and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in a rally in Mainpuri said, “The BJP leaders have realised that they have lost the poll battle. Out of frustration, they are abusing the Samajwadi leaders.”

Mr Yadavsaid they are conducting police raids at the residences of SP leaders in Mainpuri. The BJP Government is using police power undemocratically to terrorise voters.