Oppn parties fighting for second position in UP, No change in SP since 2017: Adityanath

With rivals equating the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the Jallianwala massacre to target the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asserted that the law is taking its own course in the matter and the Opposition's attempt to derive political mileage in the polls will not succeed.

In a free-wheeling interview with PTI on board a helicopter in the course of the campaign, Adityanath claimed the other parties were only fighting the polls for the second spot and said he was not at all worried about his own election from Gorakhpur Urban seat.

Asked if he has any prime ministerial ambition, the saffron-clad seer who is often dubbed as the poster boy of Hindutva answered, "I am a simple worker of the BJP and perform the task given by the party to me. I have never run after any post or chair."

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The BJP's face in the crucial Uttar Pradesh elections, Adityanath laughed when asked about the Samajwadi Party's claim of being a "nayi (new) SP".

The distribution of tickets to criminals, mafias and those assisting terrorists makes it amply clear that the party has not changed "even a bit", he said.

"Nayi hawa hai par wahi SP hai" (the air is fresh but the SP is the same old one). There is not a bit of change in the nature of the party which, like in the past, has made criminals who are behind bars, mafias and those assisting terrorists as its nominees in the current election," he said.

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On Akhilesh Yadav's statement in his rallies that law-breakers need not vote for him, the chief minister mockingly said, "It's the opposite. He is asking law-breakers and anti-social elements to group together for the return of old rule."

The issue of law and order has been a major poll plank of the BJP which has accused the previous SP government of giving a free hand to mafias and criminals.

About Akhilesh Yadav comparing the October 3 killing of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri with the Jallianwala bagh massacre during British rule, Adityanath said the law is taking its own course and the state government has no role in the matter.

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"The Supreme Court is seized of the matter and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is working objectively in the incident. The state government has no interference in the matter," said Adityanath who was on a whirlwind tour of Lakhimpur Kheri where he addressed five election rallies ahead of polling on February 23 in the fourth phase.

The BJP had won all eight seats in the district in 2017.

The opposition is raking up the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra is a prime accused to target the BJP

Their attacks have sharpened after Ashish Mishra got bail from the Lucknow branch of the Allahabad High Court last week.

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Four farmers were crushed under the wheels of SUVs when they were protesting against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to MOS native place for a programme on October 3 last year. Four others, including two BJP workers, a driver and a journalist were also killed in the subsequent violence.

"Opposition is trying to derive political mileage from the incident that's why they are using it as 'rajnitik shagufa'," he said, adding that the farmers will support the BJP for the various schemes launched for their benefit.

On his own election in Gorakhpur Urban seat that will go to vote in the fifth phase on February 27, Adityanath said he was not worried.

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"Why should I worry, it has been a traditional BJP seat and people themselves fight for the party there and they will do it this time too," the chief minister, who is contesting from his home turf in his maiden foray in assembly election said.

The SP has fielded the widow of a former BJP leader there. Azad Samaj Party founder Chandrasekhar alias "Ravana" is also in contest besides Congress and BSP nominees.

On major opposition parties like the Mamata Banerjee-leed Trinamool Congress, the NCP of Sharad Pawar and RJD supporting Samajwadi Party to defeat the BJP, Adityanath said, "They don't have any 'janadhar' (mass base) in UP."

Asked as to who he thinks as the main opponent in the 2022 UP polls, Adityanath said, "We have no fight with anyone. They are fighting for the second position."

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"We have a strong support base among 80 per cent of the voters while they are fighting among themselves for the remaining 20 per cent," he said.

On the general perception that he was ''opposed'' to Muslims, Adityanath dubbed it as "opponents' tactics as part of their vote bank politics."

Asserting that he would continue his operation against criminals and mafias after returning to power, Adityanath said, "There will be a stick of development in one hand while another hand will be on a bulldozer to run over the anti-social elements."

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