Akhilesh to campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in Bihar from Nov 1-5

Lucknow, Oct 31 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will campaign for INDIA bloc candidates, especially Bhojpuri actor and Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Khesari Lal Yadav, in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.

Yadav on Friday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar and the alleged failures in governance under its watch.

Yadav also took a dig at actor and BJP's Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan, who compared his constituency Gorakhpur with Spain.

The Samajwadi Party, in a statement issued on Friday, said Yadav will campaign across Bihar from November 1 to 5 in support of INDIA bloc candidates.

It said he will address a series of election rallies, covering several districts including Purnea, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Saran, East Champaran, Siwan, Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Jamui, Banka and Bhagalpur.

The party said Yadav's campaign will begin on November 1 with public meetings in Purnea, Madhubani and Darbhanga, and will continue through north, central and southern Bihar before concluding in Bhagalpur on November 5.

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Yadav said he will campaign for Khesari Lal Yadav in Bihar.

Speaking to reporters, he alleged that the BJP-led Central government has failed to address the very issues it is now raising in the poll-bound state.

Referring to the killing of gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav near Patna on Thursday, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked, "Murders are taking place during elections. What has the BJP done for the law and order situation it keeps talking about?" "The murder of a political leader during election raises serious questions on the functioning of both the state and Central governments. The situation there is bad, and law and order has completely collapsed," he said.

Yadav, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP's governance model, said the situation in Uttar Pradesh was no different. "Murder, robbery and crimes against women are happening continuously. The maximum number of women and daughters in the country are unsafe in Uttar Pradesh. Even within the BJP, women are now questioning their leaders over exploitation," he alleged.

The Kannauj MP alleged that atrocities against Dalits, backward classes and minorities were at their peak under the BJP governments.

Taking a dig at BJP MP and actor Ravi Kishan who recently compared Gorakhpur to Spain, Yadav quipped, "They should first find out where Spain is on the world map." He added, "Someone says they will make Banaras (Varanasi) like Kyoto, but they are demolishing the city's ancient lanes without building anything new. They are breaking heritage areas without giving people fair compensation. Those who claim to make Banaras into Kyoto should first see on Google what Kyoto actually looks like." Yadav said now people cannot be misled as easily as before. "Ten years ago, you could deceive people, but not anymore. Today, anyone can check facts instantly on Google or social media," he said.

When asked about reports of industrial land being allotted to Adani Group for Rs 1 in Bihar, Yadav said, "If any industrialist gives jobs to 10,000 or 20,000 people, we can give land even for a 'chavanni' (25 paise). We will even tell Tejashwi ji to take back that one rupee if the company ensures 10,000 jobs." Yadav said that if the Samajwadi Party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, it would follow a similar employment-based industrial policy. "We will allot land at minimal cost to those who generate large-scale employment," he said.

Yadav also slammed the state of healthcare under the BJP government. "When the Samajwadi Party government had a Rs 4 lakh crore budget, treatment was for the poor. We established 108 and 102 ambulance services that took patients from home to hospital. Today, the budget is Rs 8 lakh crore, but health services are in a terrible condition," he said.

"If our government comes to power, all treatment for the poor will be free again. Hospitals will be modernised and ambulance services will be expanded," the Samajwadi Party president added. PTI KIS RUK RUK