UP Assembly Polls: Samajwadi Party will become 'Samaptwadi Party' on March 10, says Keshav Prasad Maurya

New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday took a jibe at Samajwadi Party stating that it will become the "Samaptwadi Party" on March 10, the day when the votes cast in the assembly polls will be counted, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will retain power in the state.
"BJP will cross 300 seat mark this time and Samajwadi Party will become 'Samaptwadi Party' on March 10. SP will face defeat worse than it did in the last assembly elections in 2017. BJP who has done development works will again come to power," Maurya told ANI.
He also said that SP and its alliance is not capable enough to defeat BJP in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
"SP is not able enough to stop the lotus of BJP from blooming in the state. The list of candidates that the SP has released for the upcoming elections shows that it is not a political party but the party of gangsters, criminals, mafias. They are not fighting polls in UP but threatening the people of the state," said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Maurya added, "I wish to tell him that however many criminals you give tickets to, your cycle was punctured and will remain punctured."
Highlighting the work of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in the last five years, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "The double engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state has worked for the welfare of the poor, labourers and 24 crore people of the state. A protective shield was provided to them, which has been acknowledged by the people of the state. That is why from 2014 to 2019, all the alliances have failed and BJP's lotus blossomed."
On the reported remark of SP chief saying "Pakistan is not the real enemy of India", Maurya said, "I believe Akhilesh Yadav is probably not well. A person who has been the chief minister of the biggest state of the country cannot pass such remarks. He has realized the condition that he faced in 2014, 2017, and 2019. Moreover, he will be in a much worse position in 2022. His remarks show his desperation."
Meanwhile, the SP released a new list of 159 candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Monday.
According to the list, party leader Akhilesh Yadav will contest from Mainpuri's Karhal constituency. Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav will contest from Jaswantnagar.
Shivpal Singh Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party is part of the alliance led by Akhilesh Yadav for forthcoming elections.
Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls for its 403-member assembly in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)