CHANDAULI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said a criminal, who was protected during the previous Samajwadi Party government, is seen confined to the wheelchair "like a worm", in an apparent reference to don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.
He also claimed that the BJP has taken a decisive lead over its rivals in the six phases of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and trends show "we have already crossed the score of 275".
The seventh and last phase of the polls to the 403-member state assembly will be held on March 7.
Results will be declared on March 10.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) government had bowed down before this criminal who used to "flaunt 'tamanchas' (country-made guns) while sitting in an open jeep", the chief minister said while addressing a rally in the Saiyad Raja assembly constituency.
"He used to instigate riots and put houses on fire. Now, the same person is seen sitting in a wheelchair like a worm. Our government has put him in jail," Adityanath said, according to a press statement.
Last year in March, Ansari, a senior SP leader, who was wanted in Uttar Pradesh for various cases, was produced before a Mohali court in connection with an alleged 2019 extortion case.
Amid tight security arrangements, he was taken to the court in a wheelchair.
"The mafia (members) who killed 'Yadavs' in Mau, set fire to houses of traders and put Mau in the fire of riots, were protected by the previous governments," the BJP leader said.
He also said that if the state has a strong government, then "bulldozer and development will go hand in hand".
The chief minister uses the word 'bulldozer' to refer to demolition of illegal properties of criminals.
"Our government has taught them (criminals) a lesson, and put all (members of) the mafia in jails," he said.
When the election results are announced on March 10, only the BJP will be visible, Adityanath said, claiming that "due to fear of defeat, several SP and BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) leaders have started making bookings to flee abroad".
He said that the "professional criminals" who had come out of their "holes" during the elections to spread anarchy in the state have realised that they cannot achieve their motives.
So, they are now again searching for a hole to hide, Adityanath said.
Hitting out at the previous SP government, he said uninterrupted power was supplied only during Eid and Muharram.
Before 2017, even electricity had a religion but now, during the BJP's rule, uninterrupted power supply is being provided to everyone, irrespective of caste and religion, the chief minister said.
He said that his government has given over five lakh youths government jobs, while two crore youths were connected with employment.
"We are also distributing tablets and smartphones to one crore youths. The SP has raised objections over that. The BJP government has worked towards the development of sites and monuments which give an identity to the country and the state," he said.
Beautification of Baba Keenaram's birthplace and Taposthali is being done in Chandauli, while at the same time, along with the construction of Lord Ram's temple in Ayodhya, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Mathura, Gokul, and Vrindavan are being beautified, Adityanath said.