LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav denied that Swami Prasad Maurya was a part of his alliance. While interacting with media persons here on Friday, the SP chief lost temper when asked whether Maurya would join the INDIA alliance.
He angrily said that Maurya could not be included in the party's seat-sharing arrangement. "Avoid him. Ignore him. Keep quiet," he said. Making a major announcement on women's reservation for the 2027 elections, Akhilesh claimed that his party would give tickets to women more than the BJP would give.
Commenting on the MLC election, he said the results had shown the mirror to the BJP. "Those who were making a big show have fallen flat on their faces," he said. He added that although the figures showed only 5 MLC seats, the BJP had lost in 50 districts.
"The message has reached the public that BJP leaders are dishonest. SP candidates have won on the strength of the people. They have won six seats through deception. Had they not resorted to such tactics, they might not even have won this many seats, he said.
It may be recalled that former minister and Apni Janta Party president Swami Prasad Maurya met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on October 3, this year announcing that he was joining the INDIA alliance.
He said discussions on the number of seats his party would contest would take place later. "We want Rahul Gandhi to become the country's next Prime Minister," he said.
Swami Prasad Maurya, who had joined SP just ahead of 2022 Assembly polls after quitting Yogi cabinet, had accused the SP leadership of discrimination against him and also straying from socialist ideology.
His statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya had triggered opposition within the party. Maurya alleged that the party leadership had failed to defend him when party leaders attacked him and opposition to him grew.
Consequently, Maurya resigned as SP national general secretary on February 13, 2024 and left SP on February 20, 2024 after failing to meet SP chief Akhilesh Yadav despite repeated attempts. He also quit state Legislative Council (MLC). Two days later, on February 22, 2024, he formed his own party, the Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party.
Referring to the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament, Akhilesh targeted the Union government and asked why the legislation had not yet been implemented despite being passed.
He said women teachers and women voters had, therefore, united to vote against the BJP in this MLC biennial election. He said the MLC elections were not merely about winning but represented a major fight to save democracy. He added that the party's leaders and workers had proved that they would never allow the people's voice to be suppressed.
Questioning the impartiality of the Election Commission, Akhilesh demanded that biometric verification be made mandatory during elections to prevent bogus voting.
Akhilesh once again advocated elections through ballot papers instead of EVMs. He said some of the world's most developed and prosperous countries, including the US and Germany, conduct elections using ballot papers.
"I have said this on the floor of the House as well. Even if the Samajwadi Party wins all 80 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats, we will still demand that elections in the country be conducted using ballot papers," he said.