New Delhi: The first joint-rally of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal in the politically significant state of UP, kicked off today at Deoband, in Saharanpur, which is slated to go to polls on April 11 in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.
The rally organised near Jamia Tibbiya Medical College in Deoband, was addressed first by BSP supremo Mayawati, who launched an attack at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and said that the BJP is now an "outgoing" party, and it is time for the alliance to step in.
Referring to the large crowd gathered for the rally, Mayawati went on to say "If Modi would see the crowd gathered here, he would have lost his sanity."
Opening the rally, Mayawati said that the Mahagathbandhan will throw out the BJP government. “the gimmicks won't help the party,” she said. “All the chowkidars will struggle to keep themselves safe.”
She alleged that BJP at power has misused agencies like Enforcement Directorate and CBI to attack its rivals. She also alleged that the BJP government only helped the industrialists to progress further.
The BSP chief did not even spare the Congress party. Launching an attack of the party, she said that people should not be misled by the tall promises of the Congress. Both BJP and Congress are reminded of the poors only during elections. She said the Congress party had to go because of its wrong policies.
"I'm warning, especially people of the Muslim community, that Congress isn't in a position to fight BJP in UP. Only 'gathbandhan' can fight BJP. Congress knows this but they're going by mantra Hum jeete ya na jeete, gathbandhan nahi jeetna chahiye", she said.
"Therefore Congress party has fielded candidates from such castes & religion which will benefit BJP. Therefore I am warning members of Muslim community," BSP chief added further.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was also present in the rally. This was the first occasion on which all the three party chiefs of the alliance shared the stage. Bhim Army supporters were also seen at the alliance rally.
Addressing the rally after Mayawati's speech, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister too took a jibe at both BJP and the Congress. "There is not much difference in Congress and BJP, if you will look at their policies. They are both same. This grand alliance is meant to bring change in the country, but Congress party doesn’t want that, it wants to form govt in UP," he said.
"The grand alliance of opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh will ensure the removal of all 'chowkidars' and the country will get a new prime minister after the Lok Sabha polls," Yadav said. Further taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, Akhilesh said during the holy period of Navaratri no one should lie.
Further, in the rally, RLD chief Ajit Singh took a pod shot at the PM against his 2014 poll promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen of this country. "Modi sahab ne wada kiya tha, har ek aadmi ki jeb main Rs 15 lakh pahaunchenge. Desh ka PM jhoot bolta hai? Na, ye jhoot nahi bolta, ye kabhi sach nahi bolta. Bachhe ko kya sikhaate ho aap ki beta sach bola kar, Modi ke ma-baap ne usko sach bolne ki salah nahi di hai. (PM Modi promised that Rs 15 lakh will reach to the pockets of every citizen of this country. PM of this country lies? No, he does not lie, he never says the truth. You teach your child to speak the truth, but PM Modi's parents have never suggested him to speak the truth)," Singh said.
RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey claimed the impact of the alliance is evident by the irresponsible statements by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had earlier said the rally will give further momentum to the campaign of the "grand alliance", which he claimed is very comfortably placed in the state.
After cobbling together the alliance, Akhilesh Yadav had announced that joint rallies will be held in different parts of the state. Yadav and Mayawati had together drawn up a strategy to start the campaign during 'Navratri', which began Saturday, from western UP, a leader said.
The SP and the BSP, which announced their alliance in January, will contest on 37 and 38 seats respectively. The RLD will fight on three seats. The alliance has decided not to field candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi, the constituencies held by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Yadav, Mayawati and RLD's Ajit Singh will address 11 joint rallies between April 7 and May 16, a spokesperson said. After Deoband, rallies will be held in Badaun, Agra, Mainpuri, Rampur, Firozabad, Kannauj, Faizabad, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Varanasi. In Mainpuri, the SP has fielded Mulayam Singh Yadav, while Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting from Kannauj.
LS Polls: Mayawati blasts BJP at joint rally of SP-BSP-RLD in UP; does not spare Congress either
ABP News Bureau
Updated at:
07 Apr 2019 10:25 AM (IST)
The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh kicked off its joint campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, holding its first rally in Saharanpur's Deoband.
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