'There was mafia rule in UP before 2017': Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak attacks Samajwdi Party

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 21 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday lashed out at the Samajwadi Party, alleging that there was 'mafia rule' in the state before 2017.
Speaking to reporters after flagging off the 'Run for G20' walkathon with CM Yogi Adityanath in state capital Lucknow on Saturday, Pathak said, "The Samajwadi Party gives shelter to goons and mafias. They don't have any development agenda for the state."
"Before 2017, there was mafia rule in the state and today, the state is experiencing development like never before," he added.
He said the upcoming investors' summit will prove to be a milestone in the development of Uttar Pradesh.
"Today, UP is the safest state for investment. Investors from all over the world are coming to our state. The day is not far when the state will mark its own unique identity at the international level as a top investment destination," the Deputy CM said.
On the possibility of a 'third front' taking shape in the country against the ruling BJP, the Deputy CM said similar efforts to cobble up an Opposition alliance were made in the past but failed.
"In the past, too, top Opposition leaders of the country had tried to come together for a Third Front. 'Jan Morcha', 'Janata Dal', and the 'National Front' are some failed examples of rainbow coalitions against the BJP. Those behind such efforts are only in politics to grab power. For the BJP, however, development is paramount, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Nation First'," Pathak said.
The Deputy CM further said he was confident that the BJP will win the Ghazipur seat in the next Lok Sabha elections.
"This district belongs to Veer Abdul Hameed. Goons and mafia used to rule here under the SP, but today, there is development. The lotus will bloom in Ghazipur in 2024," he added. (ANI)