UP Polls 2022: Akhilesh Yadav hits back at BJP's 'dynastic politics' remarks

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership over the remarks on dynastic politics, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said those who do not have families cannot understand the agony the migrant labourers went through during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Speaking to ANI, the SP chief said, "I want to say that only those who have families can understand the pain of a family, but not those who do not have a family. BJP should observe two minutes of silence for their last manifesto as they could not fulfil the promises made five years ago.

"We are proud to have families. A family person will not run away with jhola (bag) and leave family behind. During the lockdown, if the chief minister had a family, he would have understood the pain of labourers walking miles to reach their home," Yadav added.

Lashing out at BJP on the 'double engine' slogan, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said this election is to save the Constitution and democracy. "Did corruption end during the Yogi government? Truth is double engine government means double corruption," he said.

The SP chief raised concerns over the reports of EVMs not functioning properly at several booths during the polling.

"There were several reports that EVM was not functioning properly, voting was stopped for hours and people had to wait in order to cast their votes. The preparation for a fair election should have been done by Election Commission to ensure smooth voting," he said.

Asked about the Allahabad High Courts granting bail to the prime accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence Ashish Mishra, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Government should have ensured strict punishment, but it failed. The world has witnessed the incident that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri. Everyone is well aware of the fact that BJP was responsible for the death of the farmers."

Akhilesh Yadav's remarks came against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday making a scathing attack on "dynastic politics" saying "it is a big threat and biggest enemy of democracy" and severely compromises on the talent coming into a political party.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, the Prime Minister elaborated on his "fake Samajwadi" jibe at Samajwadi Party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and said these parties were concerned about "parivarvad".

"The family runs the party, this is a big danger to democracy. The family-run parties are the biggest enemy of democracy as it negates the basic norms. Their goal is to save family whether there is any benefit of the country" PM Modi said.

Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began on Thursday at 7 am.

Covering the Jat-dominant belt of western Uttar Pradesh, the first phase of polls will cover 58 Assembly constituencies across 11 districts of the state.

The voting, which will conclude at 6 pm today, is taking place at 25,849 polling stations and 10,766 polling centres. As many as 623 candidates are in the fray on 58 Assembly seats where polls are being held today.

Starting from today, the elections for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly are being held in seven phases this time. The other phases of polling will be held on February 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(ANI)