Yogi Adityanath's remarks came at an inaugural event of developmental projects in Azamgarh. (File)
Taking a jibe at the previous Samajwadi Party (SP)-led government in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav made Azamgarh "a stronghold of criminals" during his tenure. Mr Adityanath's remarks came at the inauguration of 37 developmental projects worth Rs 122.43 crore in Azamgarh on Monday.
Speaking at the event, Yogi said, "By making Azamgarh a stronghold of criminals, the Samajwadi Party created a crisis of identity in front of the youth here. When professional criminals and mafia used to live, there was fear in the minds of the poor and businessmen that they do not know whose house will be seized by which mafia and the establishment."
Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to go to polls in 2022.
In the 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, BJP bagged 312 seats out of the 403-seat assembly while SP won 47 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won 19 and Congress could manage to win only seven seats. The rest of the seats were bagged by other candidates.