Akhilesh Yadav hits back at Mayawati for her 'chameleon' barb

Barabanki: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit back at Mayawati for accusing him of changing colours like a chameleon and said that his party dreamt of making the BSP supremo, who is uttering such words because of pressure on her, the country's prime minister.

When asked by reporters about Mayawati's chameleon remark, Yadav said, "As far as you are saying about the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the socialists have done the work of giving respect and you must have seen how the respect increased."

The former chief minister, who was addressing a meeting organised on the death anniversary of former MLA Ashrafi Lal Yadav in Barabanki's Badosarai town, pointed to the Samajwadi Party's alliance with the BSP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"I also remember the time when the socialists (pointing towards the SP) had resolved that the prime minister of the country should be from that class which has served the society for thousands of years, have faced many evils. Remember, the Samajwadi Party was dreaming of making Mayawati the prime minister and we also worked for it," Yadav said.

"The socialists were trying to make her the prime minister of the country, but this is the language that came when I said that respect should be given (to her). If we talk about PDA ('Pichhde, Dalit and Alpsankhyak'), the Dalit brothers, half the population are also there. If we talk about giving respect to half the population then she (Mayawati) is talking about changing colours like this. She might be saying this because maybe there is pressure on her from somewhere. She must be saying such things because of pressure," he added.

The BSP chief had told reporters on the occasion of her birthday in Lucknow on Monday, "Recently, the SP chief misled the people of the BSP with a well thought out strategy regarding the opposition alliance 'I.N.D.I.A'. With the aim of influencing the BSP chief, he has changed his colours like a 'chameleon'... so the people in the party have to be cautious of him also." The Samajwadi Party president further said the 'socialists have been trying to unite all the parties'.

"Various kinds of rumours have also been spread through newspapers and TV. Our efforts will be continuous to see how the I.N.D.I.A alliance can be strengthened and how more parties should join it," he said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP, Yadav said, "The BJP is a little successful because of God, but this time God is with the people and for us PDA is God and PDA are with us.''

The Samajwadi Party president claimed ''only the people of PDA will remove the BJP from Uttar Pradesh.'' 'This is not about victory or defeat but about the future of the youth,' he said.

Yadav alleged the BJP is putting the burden of inflation on the general public to earn profits for their people.

The Samajwadi Party chief also used the occasion to take a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"A few days ago I saw yoga in which Yogi was not able to do yoga. It is important to be cautious of such people," he said.

Yadav alleged the BJP government is doing corruption in the name of roads and said that quality was not taken care of in the construction of the Purvanchal Express.

Escalating his attack on the BJP, Yadav asserted the time has come to remove the people, who came to power in 2014.

"2024 is not only a new year but a year of change. We have to look at what the government in power in Delhi has given in the last 10 years. They have tortured the poor and farmers. They are trying to cheat the farmers by talking about 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Vishwa Guru'. The country will develop only when the farmers get fair prices for their crops. The election of 2024 is not just an election of victory or defeat but of the future of the young generation. Therefore, consider this as your election and fight it," he said.