'Machiavellian' Mayawati can join BJP anytime: Akhilesh Yadav

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday told Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati that she can align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a time of her choosing, adding that she was the kind of Machiavellian politician.

"Mayawati can anytime align with the BJP, she cannot be trusted. The people should always be careful of her. Both the BJP and the BSP don't want the Samajwadi Party to come to power again, but we trust that the people of Uttar Pradesh would support us," said Akhilesh at a rally in Deoria ahead of the sixth-phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

On Mayawati talking about , he said, "Samajwadi Party has done the maximum amount of work in the state and we have built the metro at very fast pace that has never been done earlier by any government."

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'creamation-graveyard remark', Akhilesh said his party is more focused on discussing about laptops and smartphone.

Akhilesh's comments came even after as the voting for the fifth-phase of assembly elections continues in Uttar Pradesh.

The voter turnout has been recorded at 38.72 percent till 1 p.m. on Monday.

Voting is taking place in 51 constituencies spread over 12 districts of the Terai and eastern regions.

Amethi, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Barabanki, Ambedkarnagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Basti, Siddharthnagar and some of Sant Kabir Nagar are districts where the polling is on.

The sixth-phase of polling for 49 assembly constituencies spread across seven districts of Uttar Pradesh will take place on March 4.

--ANI