UP polls: Akhilesh Yadav gave tickets to criminals, SP cannot stop BJP from returning to power, says KP Maurya

New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav saying that his party and his allies cannot stop Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from returning to power in the upcoming assembly elections in the state and alleged that SP is giving tickets to criminals.
"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. I wish to tell him that however many criminals you give tickets to, your cycle was punctured and will remain punctured," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Expressing confidence that BJP is returning to power in Uttar Pradesh, Maurya said that the party will emerge victoriously on over 300 seats and SP will face defeat worse than it did in the last assembly elections in 2017.
Highlighting the works 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 done works for the welfare to poor, labourers and 24 crore people of the state. A protective shield was provided to them, which is acceptable to 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 Yadav 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 his condition that he faced in 2014, 2017, and 2019. Moreover, he will be in a much worse position in 2022. His remarks show is desperation."
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)