Assembly polls not for electing MLAs, but to remove mafia, make UP most developed state: Amit Shah

Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 3 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are not electing MLAs or ministers but to remove mafia and make UP the most developed state across the country.
"2022 Uttar Pradesh election is not an election to make anyone an MLA or a minister. It is the election to end the mafia. This election is also to make Uttar Pradesh the most developed state in the country," Shah said while addressing a public meeting in Loni, Uttar Pradesh.
He further said that he visited the state during elections in 2013, 2017 and 2019 and every time, western Uttar Pradesh has blessed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Shah also said that in 2017 the BJP had promised to end 'mafia' if the party forms full majority government in Uttar Pradesh.
"Today, I want to ask the people where are Azam Khan, Ateeq Ahmad and Mukhtar Ansari? And if you have committed a mistake, then you will remain in jail," he said.
Further slamming Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shah said that 'mafia' is in three places -- outside Uttar Pradesh, in jail or in SP's candidate list.
He further said that people have not forgotten the atrocities done on them during Yadav's tenure.
Highlighting the work done by BJP, Shah said that BJP will not violence take place. The Union Minister also said that the ruling BJP government has waived the loans of the farmers and has done paid Rs 1,48,000 crore to the sugarcane farmers.
"After the coming of the BJP government, there is the uninterrupted power supply in Uttar Pradesh, toilets have been built in the houses of the poor, the poor have been given free gas cylinders, the BJP government has done the work of giving houses to 42 lakh people under the PM Awas Yojana," Shah said.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI)