"BJP will be wiped out from western UP": Akhilesh Yadav

Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 17 : Asserting that BJP will be wiped out from the Western UP, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday took a sharp dig at the BJP, accusing it of "playing with constitutional institutions" of the country.
Speaking to the reporters here, the SP Chief alleged that the ruling party has 'betrayed' the farmers by not providing them with a guaranteed minimum support price for their crops.
"I have said this earlier, I am saying it now, BJP will be wiped out from the west (Western UP). It is so, as they have betrayed the farmers. They said that they would double the farmer's income but have failed even to provide MSP," Yadav said.
The BJP is eying Western UP with optimism to achieve its ambitious target of 370 seats on its own, despite facing setbacks in the last elections.
In 2014, the BJP secured 24 out of 27 seats in the region, which dwindled to 19 in 2019, with all eight seats going to the SP-BSP combined.
In 2014, the BJP clinched a staggering 71 seats in the state. However, in 2019, facing a formidable alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the ruling alliance's seat count went down to 64. Despite the BSP securing 10 seats, the SP failed to surpass five.
The SP supremo, however also took a jibe at the BJP over its slogan of 'abki baar, 400 paar' and said, "It's not '400-paar' but 400-haar'.
Coming down heavily on the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav also said that the party has become a godown for the corrupt.
"BJP has become a godown for the corrupt; all the corrupt are there now. Don't you see what has happened in Electoral bonds? BJP can't answer it. Extortion has been done through ED and CBI. This government is playing with institutions. If institutions are weakened so is democracy," he added.
Earlier, addressing a public meeting in Bijnor, Yadav also claimed that the BJP, which has set a target for the NDA of getting over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha, intends to change the Constitution.
"Samajwadi Party didn't think about its defeat and seats. When people started evaluating seats they said, you have given so many seats to Congress, I said I have to get into an alliance and hence I have given 17 seats to Congress. I hope that we will defeat the BJP on all 80 seats in UP... They (BJP) are not going to win 400 but to lose. Those who are dreaming about changing the Constitution, I hope you people will convey a message by defeating them on 400 seats," he added.
Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases.
With political dynamics shifting in the state, the BJP is spearheading a robust alliance, encompassing parties like RLD, SBSP, Apna Dal (S), and Nishad party bolstering its position.
On the other hand, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav aligns with the opposition bloc, Mayawati embarks on the electoral journey solo.
For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has left Bijnor for ally RLD to contest in a three-cornered fight against the Samajwadi Party and BSP. In 2019, Malook Nagar won the seat for the BSP. Malook Nagar recently joined the RLD after resingig fron the BSP. The party, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has fielded Chandan Chauhan from the Bijnor.
Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases.
Voting for phases one and two will be held on April 19 and April 26. Next, the state will once again poll in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13. The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also vote in phases five, six and seven on May 20, May 23 and June 1 respectively.