‘BJP failed to keep promises it made’

LUCKNOW: Victories in the by-elections to Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats in UP are expected to push Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav back to the political centre stage and enable him to play a role in forging opposition unity in the fight against the BJP in next year’s election.

Yadav was keeping a low profile since the SP’s humiliating defeat in the 2017 UP assembly elections in which BJP secured a commanding majority. The twin by-election victories it scored on Wednesday after striking an alliance with BSP could play a role in determining opposition’s strategy in the 2019 LS elections.“UP’s bypoll outcome has sent a political message across country as the BJP has lost the seats held by CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya,” Yadav said. “BJP failed to keep the promises made to the people. Its failure on farm loan waiver front and providing employment have been causes of concern.” Yadav said the SP’s victories reflected the people’s anguish with BJP, adding that the support offered by BSP and other parties to SP candidates was a major factor in the outcome. He also targeted Adityanath for using abusive language. “No CM has ever shown such disrespect and used derogatory language… The SP-BSP alliance was called a tie-up between a snake and a mole...”

Yadav’s political acumen will be tested again as he makes efforts to take the alliance with BSP forward and attract more parties to its fold, while keeping BSP chief Mayawati in good humour. This factor was probably on top of his mind as he decided to send leader of opposition in UP assembly Ram Govind Chaudhary to meet Mayawati at her residence before speaking to reporters.