Akhilesh hits the road but hi-tech rath breaks down Singing old tune of triple talaq BJP’s ploy to garner vote: Maya

POLL POSITION SP state chief Shivpal Yadav clarifies road show not launch of party’s official election campaign in UP

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav launched his much-awaited road show on Thursday, vowing to win next year’s assembly elections amid a show of unity in Uttar Pradesh’s ruling family and a sea of ecstatic young supporters.

But even before the chief minister’s high-tech Mercedes-Benz ‘Vikas Rath’ had travelled a kilometre, Samajwadi Party state president Shivpal Yadav struck a discordant note at a hurriedly called press conference, saying the yatra was not the official launch of the party’s campaign for next year’s assembly elections.

Akhilesh and Shivpal have been locked in a bitter power struggle over the past few months that prompted tit-for-tat sackings of supporters on either side from both the party and the government.

Thousands of party supporters thronged the route of the yatra, flagged off by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in Lucknow with Akhilesh and Shivpal on either side. The launch went off smoothly despite supporters of Akhilesh and Shivpal coming to blows.

More trouble was to follow soon when the ‘rath’ broke down barely a kilometre into the yatra. Akhilesh stepped out of the bus and continued the rest of the journey in an SUV.

A glum-faced Shivpal did wish his nephew’s yatra a success in a brief speech during the flaggingoff but Akhilesh did not mention his uncle even once.

But later at the press conference, Shivpal said the party’s poll bugle will be blown at its silver jubilee event on Saturday, belying popular perception that the yatra will mark the launch of the party’s campaign.

“The yatra is being taken out under the leadership of Akhilesh. It will give a message to the entire UP and popularise work by our government,” Shivpal said at the flag-off as the large number of the chief minister’s supporters NEW DELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has opposed “interference” in Muslim personal laws, including triple talaq, saying women from the minority community are aware of their rights and capable of fighting their own battles.

The practice of triple talaq, which allows a Muslim man to divorce his wife by pronouncing the word talaq thrice, faces multiple legal challenges and has triggered a huge debate.

“Matters of religion should be left to those practising it. People of one religion should not interfere in another religion. There is a need for consensus. Muslim mahilayen swayam bhi jagaruk hain. Wah apni baat swayam hi rakh sakati hain (Muslim women are well-informed and capable of articulating their views),” Mayawati said in an interview to HT.

Triple talaq is expected to generate heat in the five state elections due early next year, including in Uttar ABHISHEK YADAV, Supporter of Akhilesh Yadav

Buoyed by the turnout, the CM struck a confident note.

“People were hatching conspiracies by making up a rift that had annoyed me. But we are coming back to power,” he said.

The crowds and the bus breakdown slowed down his convoy considerably and he was forced to skip several scheduled stops along the way. Wherever the cavalcade halted, party songs such Pradesh where Muslims can influence the outcome in 100 of the 403 assembly segments.

The BJP, the leader said, was resorting to “purana raag (old tune)” on triple talaq and the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Both Hindus and Muslims were aware of the ploy and could see through their “chunawi hathkanda (poll gimmicks)”, Mayawati told HT.

The BJP is one of the two main challengers facing Mayawati.

The split in SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family would work to BSP’s advantage, Mayawati said. “Akhilesh and Mulayam have different groups. It was Mulayam who made him the chief minister, aur ab woh apne baap ko bhi kuchh nahin samajhata (Akhilesh doesn’t thinks much of his father),” she said. “If Akhilesh forms a separate party, it will send a message to Muslims and they will not repeat the mistake of voting for the SP. Muslims

will vote for whichever party can defeat the BJP and that is the BSP,” she said.

She indicated the party’s plan to corner the BJP for “not allowing” a legislation — that sought to provide reservation in promotion — to be passed. “It has an impact not only on Jatavs but on all sections of people who get reservation. The BJP will have to pay for it in the (UP) elections. They (BJP) will have to pay for it in 2019, too.”

Brushing aside Akhilesh’ claims of development, Mayawati spelt out her plans for UP. “Whatever assistance has to be given to the poor, it will be direct financial help and not things like laptops. People want permanent jobs, not unemployment allowance,” she said, referring to two programmes launched by the state government.

Mayawati was also dismissive of Mulayam’s attempt to stitch up a grand alliance with the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal. “Why a need for this? Because they have become weak...”

“Ours is an ideology based party. There will be no understanding with any other party,” she added.

Akhilesh bhaiya has fulfilled all the promises that he made before coming to power. He will come to power with a majority.