Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the ruling BJP and JD(U) during a rally in Bihar’s East Champaran district, claiming that the State’s youth have made up their minds to “oust the NDA from power and elect a chief minister who will give jobs, not jumla”.
Addressing a rally as part of campaigning for the INDIA bloc candidates in the assembly polls, Yadav asserted that the people’s mood across the State was “against the ruling NDA”.
“Half of Bihar is voting today, the other half is waiting for its turn. All of Bihar is sending just one message. This time, the youth will oust the NDA from power and elect a chief minister who will give jobs, not jumla (rhetoric), and this time, Bihar will write the BJP’s defeat.”
Alleging that the BJP and its allies had “failed to provide employment, tame inflation and ensure farmers’ welfare”, Yadav said people were asking for accountability. “In 10 years of Delhi’s (BJP-led central) government and 20 years of Bihar’s government, tell me, how many youths got jobs? They promised that farmers’ income would be doubled. Has anyone’s income doubled?” he asked, as the crowd responded with a loud “No”.
Taking a swipe at BJP leaders’ development claims, Yadav said he recently heard a Delhi-based professor talk about expressways being built from Gorakhpur to far-off places.
“We are coming from Uttar Pradesh. We didn’t see any such expressway. I think they are building expressways in the air,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of “vote theft”, he said, “They have a ‘C’ team, the Election Commission party. A ‘P’ team, another party, that helps them steal votes. So, support the INDIA bloc candidates.”
His allusion was to Prashat Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party.
The SP chief sharply criticised the “rising” prices of essential items during the NDA rule at the Centre and in Bihar.
Yadav also uttered the expression “ekrangi” (unicoloured) that he has been using to target his rival in UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who always wears saffron clothes.
“If the youth search on Google what ‘ekrangi’ means, they will understand why I don’t want to repeat that word. They are dividing society, fooling people, and selling dreams,” he alleged.
Without mentioning Nitish Kumar by name, he claimed that the Bihar chief minister was aware that the NDA would not back him for another term.
“He has realised no one is going to put the garland on him. That is why he has begun putting garlands on others,” he said in a swipe at Kumar.
Yadav said the INDIA bloc would put a stop to what he called the “loot of Bihar’s budget”.
“When the BJP is removed from power, jobs will come. Bihar’s money will be spent on the state,” he said.
Praising RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, the SP president said the next phase of Bihar’s politics would be shaped by “young leadership”.
“Help Tejashwi. Bihar wants a young chief minister, and when Bihar changes, the country will get a new message. You change Bihar, we will change Uttar Pradesh,” the SP leader said at the rally.
Yadav is scheduled to address rallies in East Champaran and Sitamarhi to bolster support for the INDIA bloc candidates in Bihar.
