Making an appearance for the first time in the ongoing Assembly election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party (SP) founder patron Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday addressed a public meeting in Karhal in Mainpuri district from where his son Akhilesh Yadav is contesting. Urging people to ensure Akhilesh's victory with a huge margin, the 82-year party patriarch said that the Samajwadi Party government would work for “naujawan, kisan aur vyapari (youths, farmers and traders)” and added the party would not disappoint the people. Akhilesh, on the other hand, stressed that his party does not need the vote and support of those who don't believe in the rule of law. Mulayam represents the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Akhilesh, who is contesting the Assembly election for the first time, is pitted against BJP MP and Union minister SP Baghel in Karhal. Mulayam, who reached the venue nearly an hour before Akhilesh, said: “I want to assure you that the SP government will create jobs for youths. Traders will be supported so that they can procure crops from farmers. The party's policy is clear – its focus is on farmers, youths, and traders because they make the country prosperous.” In his 10-minute-long speech, Mulayam refrained from attacking the BJP or any other rival parties. Initially, the gathered SP leaders on the dais wanted Mulayam to speak while seated on the chair, but the senior leader insisted on speaking from the podium. Mulayam, who was welcomed by SP supporters with slogans like "Dharti Putra (son of the soil)" and “Sher-e-Hind Mulayam Singh”, said that youths would make the party strong. Newsletter | Click to get the day's best explainers in your inbox In a strong counter to the BJP's charge that mafia and bahubali (strongmen) will dominate the state if the SP comes to power, Akhilesh urged people to vote for his party only if they believe in the rule of law. “Main to kehna chahta hun ki jo log kanoon nahi maante, kanoon vyavastha ko nahi maante, wo Samajwadi Party ko vote na den. Jo kanoon ko nahi manna chahte, jo kanoon se nahi chalna chahte, jo niyamon ko nahi palan karna chahte, hum unse kahenge ki Samajwadi Party ko unke vote ki jarurat nahi hai (Those who don’t follow the rules, law and order, they don’t need to vote for the SP. Those who do not want to follow laws and rules, the SP does not need their votes),” Akhilesh said, adding that his party wants to take UP on the “path of prosperity and growth”. Akhilesh hit out at the BJP, which has fielded Union minister SP Baghel against him in Karhal, accusing the ruling party of trying to start a feud between people. “BJP should change its name as “Bharatiya Jhagda Party” which lies to people,” Akhilesh said without elaborating it. He said that the BJP could even hatch conspiracies to gain sympathy among the voters. Without mentioning the attack on Baghel's convoy in Mainpuri on Tuesday, he asked his supporters to stay at home and avoid going on the roads “to avert the conspiracy”. Targeting Baghel, who is an MP from Agra, Akhilesh said: “It is possible that he (Baghel) has come to Karhal to develop a connection for getting entry into SP in the future…when he comes for campaigning here, ask him about the promises that were made by BJP earlier,” Akhilesh said. Asserting that he will win with a record margin, Akhilesh claimed that the Baghel community was also supporting him. Akhilesh, who touched his father's feet before giving his speech, expressed gratitude to Mulayam for addressing the rally in his support. Akhilesh called Karhal Mulayam's kshetra (area). "This is Netaji's area where he studied, taught, started politics, and also participated in wrestling bouts. The movement that Netaji has brought up till this point, it is our responsibility to take it ahead for the next hundred years," he added. Karhal goes to the polls in the third phase of elections on February 20.
