BJP playing caste card through MP CM Mohan Yadav to weaken SP's PDA outreach: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged that the BJP is playing the caste card through Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to weaken the cause of the backwards, Dalits and minorities which the SP is fighting for.

Mohan Yadav, who was invited to address a Yadav Mahakumbh here on Sunday, had attacked Akhilesh Yadav.

Using the chess terminology, the SP president said, 'The BJP and its think tank are very intelligent. They know when they have to make a particular move, when they have to make the two-and-a-half move (of knights) and when they have to move the pawns.

"But, we have a number of 'wazirs'," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters.

Akhilesh Yadav alleged that as its old tricks, the BJP is trying to weaken the SP's efforts to increase its PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) family.

"How can that fight be weakened? How can the attention be diverted? And, how can it be restricted? They (the BJP) are trying to find a way out," he said.

When a reporter asked a question about Mohan Yadav, who was in Lucknow on Sunday, the SP chief said, ''Woh pyare Mohan hain.' The former UP chief minister said the BJP's own people, who were given Lok Sabha tickets, are searching for one excuse or the other to not fight the poll.

Though he did not refer to any names but saffron party candidate from Asansol Pawan Singh has declined to fight the polls.

Some leaders including Shiv Kumar Beria left the BJP to return to the SP on Monday. Beria was an SP MLA from Raulabad in Kanpur Dehat in 2012 who had crossed over the BJP before the last assembly polls.

Targeting the SP, the MP chief minister had on Sunday said it was believed that only one family is the contractor (thekedar) of the Yadav community but he is happy that this society has now freed itself from the contractor system.

Addressing the Yadav Mahakumbh, Mohan Yadav indirectly targeted SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's family and said, 'It is believed that only one family (Yadav) is the contractor of the society. But I am happy that this society has brought itself out of the contractor system. Now it has its own identity.'

Sharpening his attack on the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP should remember that only by the (question) paper leak, approximately 2.25 lakh votes of the BJP have also got leaked.

The former UP chief minister also said, 'Around one lakh farmers have committed suicide ever since the BJP came to power. And the farmers who lost their lives in the agitation are in thousands.' He said the farmers are agitating even today and demanding minimum support price (MSP).

"Do they have any way to provide the MSP? And how can the way evolve when the borrowings have increased and when the country's debt has increased?" he said.

The SP chief alleged that the government, which implemented demonetisation, did not waive off the loans of the farmers, but waived off the loans of the big industrialists.

To a question about the alleged video clip which emerged on social media of BJP MP from Barabanki Upendra Rawat, who was seen in an objectionable state, Akhilesh Yadav said, 'I have not seen the video.'

To a question on Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni who has been given a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections from Kheri constituency, the SP chief said, 'What can you expect from the BJP? The person against whom allegations were levelled is being given a ticket. So, it should be understood what type of party the BJP is.'

He said the Centre did not waive off the loans of the farmers. The income of the farmers did not double and the loans of the big industrialists were waived off. The farmers whose loans were to be waived off, were not done.

He said it should be a matter of investigation whether the industrialists, whose loans were waived off, had purchased the electoral bonds for the BJP.

This is a big matter and it should be investigated that whose loans were waived off, it had taken electoral bonds from them, he said.

Akhilesh Yadav also said the BJP people are feeling tensed. 'The income has not doubled nor employment has been generated. So, they do not want to face the people. Will the double engine government of Lucknow and Delhi give double help to the farmers in Bundelkhand and (other parts of) Uttar Pradesh, who have suffered losses due to hailstorm and rain?' he said.

The SP chief also said the 80 (Lok Sabha) seats of Uttar Pradesh and 40 (Lok Sabha) seats of Bihar will decide the future.

Akhilesh Yadav also said the BJP should not argue on 'parivaar' (family).

"The BJP should take a promise not to give (election) ticket to any 'parviaar wala' nor should it seek vote from any 'parivaar wala'," Yadav said, and added that like 'samudra manthan' (churning of the ocean), this is the time for 'samvidhaan manthan'.

"We are 'samvidhaan ke rakshak' (saviours of the Constitution). They are 'samvidhan ke bhakshak' (attacker of the Constitution)," he said.