Akhilesh Yadav also attacked the BJP government over rising prices of petrol, diesel and LPG. (File)
Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav Sunday attacked the BJP dispensation, saying the state needs a "yogya" (competent) government and not a Yogi government.
Speaking to reporters at the party's headquarters in Lucknow, he further alleged the BJP "has no work to do" aside from changing names. "It believes in filling pockets instead of potholes."
"Uttar Pradesh needs a ''yogya'' (competent) government and not a Yogi government," he said.
He was speaking after former Uttar Pradesh chief of Bahujan Samaj Party RS Kushwaha and former MP Kadir Rana joined the SP.
Mr Yadav reiterated his party's demand for a caste census, and said that when the Congress was in power at the Centre, Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav had demanded that a caste census was done.
The SP chief also attacked the BJP government over rising prices of petrol, diesel and LPG.
"At a number of places, the price of petrol has crossed Rs 100 per litre, and the public is forced to buy everything at a higher price. The prices of diesel and LPG cylinders have also increased. Do they have any answer to this?" he said.
He also attacked the BJP over Samajwadi Party MLA Nitin Agarwal filing nomination for the deputy speaker's post in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly with the support of the ruling party.
"Which party does the candidate put up by the BJP belong to? What can be expected of a government which inaugurates already inaugurated projects, and lays foundation stone of the projects, for which the foundation stone has already been laid?" he asked.
He also rubbished claims of factionalism in the Samajwadi Party and claimed the BJP will not give tickets to 150 MLAs in the 2022 polls.
Mr Yadav had earlier said that SP will win 400 out of the 403 seats in the UP Assembly. He termed the BJP government "anti-farmer".
"Both the UP government and the Centre have deceived (people). The truth is that no one has got a job," Mr Yadav said.