LUCKNOW: Launching a frontal attack on BSP chief Mayawati, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said here on Tuesday that her party shifted its votes to the BJP during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “As a result, the BJP formed a majority government at the Centre and the BSP was badly decimated with a duck,” Akhilesh told media persons after holding the cabinet meeting here on Tuesday. Of late the two leaders have been exchanging jibes and calling each other Bua (aunt) and Babua (kid). On occasion, Akhilesh even addressed her as BBC2 (Bua Broadcasting Corporation 2). But with the poll cauldron heating up in the state, he appears to have sharpened his barbs.
Emerging from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he said: “In fact, the BSP transferred its booth level votes to the BJP.
That is why it did so badly and ended with a zero.” Continuing with his tirade, Akhilesh asked her if any of her elephants would ever stand up and walk? “If yes, then when?” came his poser to Mayawati.
During 2014 Lok Sabha elections, while BJP surpassed even its own expectations by winning 71 out of 80 seats, BSP even failed to open its account. Congress, on the other hand could save only Amethi and Rae Bareli in the Gandhi Pariwar bastion and Samajwadi Party wrapped up their tally with just five members – all from the Yadav family. The remaining two seats were won by Apna Dal which contested as a BJP ally.
In a no-holds-barred onslaught on the BSP chief for allegedly trying to snatch credit away for developmental projects like Lucknow Metro and Agra-Lucknow expressway, the chief minister asked who had stopped the BSP government, which was there in the state from 2007-2012, working on them.
Attacking Modi government over demonetisation, the CM saw no immediate end to the ongoing currency crisis not only in the state but across the nation. “People who were asking for 50 days time, are now asking for 50 more days. This problem take at least one year to be resolved,” Akhilesh said, adding that people standing in queues for money these days would soon queue up at polling booths to teach BJP a lesson.
On the decision to implement 7th pay commission in the state, the CM said that though there would be an added burden of over 24,ooo crore on state exchequer after the implementation, “my government is ready to bear the burden as we are committed to the growth and development of the people of UP.”
Referring to alliance with parties ahead of polls, Akhilesh said that he would return with absolute majority in the state, but in case of a tie-up, the number of seats might touch 300 mark.