BJP trying to create discord between SP, BSP: Akhilesh

Lucknow: Alleging a conspiracy by the BJP to break the SP-BSP alliance, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said that the saffron party would not return to power if it failed in its endeavour to create a discord between the two parties in Uttar Pradesh.

"Now the SP and the BSP are united. Now you (BJP) will try to create fissures between us. You are citing guest house case and other things to the BSP, but I am happy that you got a reply from BSP leader (Mayawati). Now they (BJP) will taste defeat in every battle," Akhilesh said, referring to the assault of Mayawati allegedly by SP workers in a state guest house in 1995.

He was speaking during budget discussion in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

"The BJP did everything to ensure a fight between us (SP-BSP) and even blamed us that we have got the BSP's Rajya Sabha candidate defeated. I want to tell you (BJP) that we samajwadis have big heart and if we have to give up something, we will give it up in future," he said.

"You should let us (SP-BSP) break. If you fail (to break our unity), you will not be able to grab power in future," he said pointing at Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and other ruling party members.

"I want to thank the BSP again and the Peace Party and other allies for supporting our candidates in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls and for sending a message to the entire country," he said.

Alleging that the ruling party members including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have forgotten using dignified language, Akhilesh said, "I thank you for making be backward. We are progressive backward Hindu with whom no one can compete. Yogi in House said he is proud of being Hindu. So, am I not proud? He compared our friendship with that of snake and mole." Attacking the BJP on charges of 'pariwarwad' (nepotism), Akhilesh said, "How Yogi became head of the Math in Gorakhpur. Had his relative not being head there, he could not have taken over from him. BJP is the party which practices casteism."

Mentioning reports regarding probe of his properties and cases of party leader Azam Khan, Akhilesh said, "This is not political behaviour."