Gujarat Awaits Surprise Result, Not UP: Akhilesh Yadav

The Uttar Pradesh elections will throw no surprise result, the “real surprise” would come up in the Gujarat assembly polls due later this year, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed on Saturday exuding confidence of forming the government after the UP assembly polls. Making a slew of poll promises, he said his alliance government would open "Samajwadi Canteens" for the poor to get subsidized meals for Rs 10.

Similarly, "ration outlets" would be started for the poor and labourers, he said. The SP supremo claimed the people of Uttar Pradesh have already given their verdict and the BJP is "nervous" over it. "A wrestler who loses sometimes bites or pulls. These people (BJP) have already lost," Yadav said at a press conference along with Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhry, after taking the 'ann sankalp' of defeating the BJP. He said that the BJP government has been claiming to provide subsidised ration to 80 crore poor people in the country and that is their admission of India’s growing poverty, as confirmed by surveys worldwide. "In the event of formation of the SP-led alliance government, 'Samajwadi canteens' and 'ration outlets' would be opened for the poor and labourers.

He said that from these outlets subsided ration and other essential items would be made available to the poor, homeless and labourers. "In the Samajwadi canteens, a thali (meals) having nutritious items would be made available at a subsidised rate of Rs 10," he said, adding the objective behind this would be to end hunger in the state. He said that this would be part of their election manifesto.

He asserted that the voters will teach a lesson to those who are honouring the killers of Mahatma Gandhi and the UP election results will bring happiness to the state. "The people of Uttar Pradesh have given their verdict. No surprise is going to come here. Farmers, young traders, people of all sections have made up their mind that the government is going to be formed by those in the Samajwadi Party alliance," he said.

"The real surprise will come from Gujarat where elections are to be held after Uttar Pradesh," the Samajwadi Party chief said. Yadav made the assertion in a news conference at Vedanta Farm House. He was on a visit to Ghaziabad along with his party’s poll partner Rashtriya Lok Dal supremo Jayant Chaudhary in support of their party candidates.

Talking of farmers, Yadav recalled their year-long protest against the now-repealed three farm laws and said farmers kept camping at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border for over a year but the government, instead of sympathising with them, kept on putting up barricades and barbed wires on roads and hammering nails on roads prevent them from marching to Delhi. Asked about the government repealing the three farm laws, Yadav sought to know why the BJP "humiliated" the farmers.

"How can the farmers forget that the BJP has insulted the ‘annadata’ (food providers) of the country?" he asked. He also recalled the spectacle of thousands of migrant workers returning homes on foot amid the sudden Covid lockdown of the country in March 2020, and accused the Yogi Adityanath government of turning a blind eye to their plight. Adityanath left migrant workers to fend for themselves, leading to the death of over 80 migrant workers marching back home, Yadav added, he alleged.

Yadav said that for providing employment to urban youths and migrant workers, his government would enact an "Urban Employment Guarantee Act" on the pattern of MGNREGA. Talking of his party’s alliance with RLD, he said, "I am happy today that Jayant Chaudhary ji is with me and both of us are together working to fight for the farmers." The voters know that Chaudhary Charan Singh ji fought for the prosperity of the farmers, he said, adding all those who are fighting for the farmers here have a chance to save and carry forward the legacy of Chaudhary Charan Singh Ji and this is also an election for this. Asserting that his party has always cared for the health, security and empowerment of women, he said they would come out with special plans in this connection.

He further said GST rules would be simplified to help traders. The SP chief has already announced to provide 300 units of electricity free of cost and also irrigation without any charge. His previous poll promises also include laptops to students and resumption of the old pension scheme. Jayant Chaudhary said voters have to choose between the SP-RLD and those "suppressing the farmers". Saying that many people would be using postal ballots, the RLD president urged government employees and others to cautiously use the facility by downloading the form.

Recalling the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, Chaudhary said a group of farmers protesting the visit of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were trampled to death under the wheels of SUVs driven by BJP workers and Mishra’s son. Chaudhary said that the farmers have not forgotten the incident and they will avenge it in the upcoming polls.

With PTI Inputs