New Delhi: BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda hit out at RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary for not casting his vote in the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh election. Voting for 58 seats of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly took place on Thursday.
Addressing a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Biswan, Nadda said, "Today, a leader (RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary) did not cast his vote. It shows their dynastic arrogance. The power of democracy gives answers to such people."
Nadda also targeted the Opposition, saying the Indian National Congress was no longer "national" and now it was not "Indian" either.
"Only BJP has remained a national party, all other parties have become parties of dynasties, 'parivar-vaad', regionalism...Indian National Congress has neither remained national nor Indian, it has become a brother-sister party," said Nadda.
Earlier in the day, Jayant Chaudhary said it would not be possible for him to cast his vote because of his election rally with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Bijnor. Later, he backtracked and said he would try to cast his vote in Mathura.
"I'm a voter of Mathura. Right now, we're in Bijnor as there is just two days' time for campaigning between the first and second rounds of UP polls. My wife voted in the morning itself. After campaigning ends here, I'll try to vote at booths open till 6 pm," the RLD chief told ANI.
Nadda also targeted other Opposition parties, including National Conference, PDP, Lok Dal of Haryana, Samajwadi Party, RJD of Bihar, Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee, Biju Janata Dal, TDP and YSR of Andhra Pradesh, KCR's party in Telangana, DMK in Tamil Nadu, Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra.
Nadda said that these parties were running on the basis of casteism and regionalism. "It is only BJP whose mantra is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas," he said.
The BJP chief said that the party does not seek votes in name of caste or religion. "BJP works to bring everyone together. Our party takes forward its work keeping everyone in mind. We work to bring the last rung of society into the mainstream," Nadda further said.
In Bijnor, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav made a fresh appeal to the Election Commission amidst the reports of EVM malfunctioning during the first phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Akhilesh has tweeted, "There is an appeal to the Election Commission and at the same time, it is expected that wherever there are allegations of EVM malfunctioning or deliberately slowing down the polling, it should immediately take appropriate action at those polling stations".
He also said that "smooth and fair voting" was the greatest obligation of the Election Commission of India. He blamed the SSP and SP of Hapur for taking away the Aadhaar cards of policemen, forcing them vote for the BJP.