JAUNPUR: It’s colour politics of a difference sort. A day after BJP took a swipe at Samajwadi Party (SP) members calling them “Lal topi waale”, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav retaliated by saying “ BJP does not understand the meaning of red colour. Red is the colour of emotion and feelings”.
Yadav is on two-day visit to Jaunpur as part of the sixth leg of his Vijay Rath Yatra ahead of the crucial assembly elections next year. His remarks come a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a potshot at SP during his public meeting in Gorakhpur.
While addressing a public meeting in Gorakhpur last Tuesday, Modi had said, “The entire Uttar Pradesh knows that ‘laal topi waale’ (those who wear red caps) are only interested in red beacons (power) and not the problems of the people.”
“They only need power for scams, to fill up their coffers, for illegal encroachment and to give a free run to the mafias,” Modi had said.
Targeting the BJP, the SP supremo said, “UP will witness a change as the BJP has been unable to fulfil the promises made to the people.” The incomes of the farmers have not grown due to inflation; the earnings of the common people are low; and the farmers are unable to get fertilizers, he said, adding, the government disrespected the farmers and ruined their farming. People are dying in police custody and there is a lot of corruption in the state under BJP.
Yadav launched this Vijay Rath Yatra in October this year from Kanpur and has already covered several districts as part of this yatra. Speaking from the ground, he accused the government of cutting off its voters once it came to power. “The BJP MPs and the MLAs have not visited villages in Uttar Pradesh. But we will form the government in the state after taking everyone together,” he said.
The SP chief is also scheduled to address a public meeting here and will visit several assembly constituencies during his two-day visit.