Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav addressing a press conference at the party office, in Lucknow.
Credit: PTI
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said his party is not just for 'Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak' but also for tribals and the 'Agde' or forward people.
Yadav, who is taking out his 'PDA' yatra in Lucknow, told reporters, 'Be it 'Agde' or 'Advasi,' all are included in the PDA for which our party is batting.' 'PDA' is a term coined by the party for backward, Dalits and minorities.
He said the rally – which reached Lucknow on Monday -- has already covered more than 5,000 km across the state.
Yadav said he is taking out the rally to raise awareness about the threat to social justice and rights and honour of the people, and to campaign for caste census.
"It is for saving the country from the forces conspiring to divide it," he said.
The yatra will conclude in Saifai (Etawah) on November 22.
"The path to the nation's progress will come through Uttar Pradesh," the SP president said here, in an obvious reference to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
In his bite to the media, Yadav criticised the state of health infrastructure in UP under the Yogi Adityanath government.
"Dengue is spreading fast and in some villages 20 deaths were reported. But the state government is sleeping. Son of an MP died in SGPGI here for lack of treatment," he said, adding that the government is not spending enough money on health.
"BJP only indulges in conspiracies and spreads rumours through you (media). It has nothing new to show,' said Yadav, ahead of his cycle ride from Purvanchal Expressway to Janeshwar Mishra Park here as part of the rally.
On the Andhra Pradesh train accident, he said such events have exposed the government's claims of having the technology that will alert about potential risks. "What kind of 'kavach' is this?"