BJP turning jantantra into mann-tantra, people ready for naya andolan: Akhilesh Yadav

“They (BJP) want to threaten the Opposition. This has been their politics since the beginning… But this time, people are ready. Our youths and all sections of society are ready to protect the votes cast by them,” the former chief minister said.

Questioning the credibility of exit polls that predicted a huge mandate for the BJP and the return of Narendra Modi for his third term as the prime minister of the country, Akhilesh said: “They (exit polls agencies) are making a mahaul (conducive atmosphere) in BJP’s favour… unke tent khali they, maidan khali they… woh mahaul bana rahe hain.. Vipaksha ke logon ko darana chahte hain (The BJP’s tents and grounds were empty… They (pollsters) want to make a favourable atmosphere for the BJP and instill fear in the Opposition).”

“Our exit poll says that the INDIA bloc is winning the maximum number of seats in Uttar Pradesh. I have got an internal survey done that also shows good numbers for us,” he said, claiming that those who conducted exit polls also work for BJP’s “booth management”.

On the Election Commission revising polling percentages days after voting, Yadav said, “The Election Commission should reply to this. I hope the EC will follow all the rules.” Urging the poll watchdog to make adequate security arrangements for agents of opposition parties, the SP chief claimed that when the BJP appears weak, it will try to threaten the agents as the administration is with the party.

“It might happen that they will slow counting or cut the power at night,” he alleged.

“The elections are over. The exit polls are predicting many things. The BJP is responsible for many things. They disturbed peace and brotherhood. They conspired to end the reservation. They increased crime against women. They made a record of wrong behaviour. They triggered inflation and unemployment. The poor become poorer,” he added.

Yadav also blamed the BJP for paper leaks in Uttar Pradesh and also referred to atrocities on women in Hathras and Manipur. He alleged that historic corruption was done in the name of electoral bonds.

Sharpening his attack on the BJP, Yadav said, “Businesses were ruined by demonetisation. Small shopkeepers were made victims of recession by corrupt GST. BJP wanted to usurp farmers’ land and to bring black laws for farmers. It did not give remunerative prices for crops and pushed the country into unemployment.” “Loans worth billions of rupees of the rich were waived but farmers had to commit suicide due to loans. Savings of the middle class were rendered useless by reducing interest rates and other charges.

“The BJP government brought a deadly vaccine without testing. This will have a direct impact on the health of the public and will also affect the health of the coming generations,” Yadav added.

With PTI