People Getting Threat Calls To Not Vote For Samajwadi Party: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that people are being threatened over the phone against voting for his party after it has emerged as a powerful contender in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

He also asked people to record such threatening calls so that based on them FIRs could be lodged after his government comes to power.

"Since the SP has emerged as a powerful contender in the elections, people are being threatened over the phone. If anyone gets such a call, record it. I want to say that the recordings will be considered as (the basis of) FIRs,” Mr Yadav said without taking any names.

Mr Yadav made the allegations while addressing workers' meet in the Bah assembly constituency of Agra. He said the assembly polls in the state are for the future of Uttar Pradesh and to save the country's Constitution.

“This election is for the future of the UP and to save the Constitution. The BJP can do anything and nobody knows till they do it. Did anyone know demonetisation was going to be announced?” he asked as proof of his allegation.

Mr Yadav also mocked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who in a recent statement had said he would "cool down" after March 10, the day for the announcement of elections result, those heightening passions.

“The chief minister is talking about cooling down. But we will only talk about announcing recruitments in the police for youngsters of the state,” he said.

Talking about emergency service ‘Dial 100', he said, “We started ‘Dial 100' to protect those who are being harassed by anyone across the state. The chief minister has not been able to change the tyres of the vehicles or the colour of the Dial 100 vehicles. Chief Minister has only changed the name from Dial 100 to 112." Hitting out at the state government for alleged mismanagement during the second wave of Covid in April-May last year, Akhilesh said, “When COVID-19 came, all of us wore masks but the government failed to do anything. In those troubled times, the ambulances bought by the SP government were used to carry patients to hospitals. The BJP couldn't even provide the essential injections required for Covid patients.” Talking about the region, Akhilesh said the temples of the area were renovated by the SP government and sought to assure people to prioritise the development of Bah after coming to power.

“We will also ensure improved power supply and development of the state. We will make arrangements to take the water from rivers to the fields in the region. If needed, Bah will also be made a district. This region needs education," he said.

"The chief minister promised to distribute laptops and tablets but had anyone got anything? Farmers were forced to fence their farms and the money which is being released for the rehabilitation of stray cows is not reaching districts,” Mr Yadav said.

“This chief minister can only change name and colour so we should also bring some change,” he added.

Mr Yadav also paid tribute to legendry singer Lata Mangeshkar following her death on Sunday.

“The demise of Lata Mangeshkar is a very sad news. There is no singer in the world who sang over 3000 songs. The Samajwadi Party will do some in thing in her name in the state after coming to power,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)