Akhilesh Yadav: ‘Cycle’ is backed by ‘hand’

Lucknow: UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said on Wednesday that now that his “cycle” (Samajwadi symbol) was being supported by the “hand” (Congress symbol), there was no doubt about his returning to power. “Till now, I was riding bicycle alone. Now that we have a ‘hand’ to help in the ride and the bicycle will run even faster,” he said.

A local Congress leader, Prem Prakash Agarwal, was present on the dais with the chief minister when the CM addressed an election rally in Lakhimpur.

“The amount of development that my government has done is unmatched. No other government in the country has accomplished so much in five years”, he said. The CM said that the BJP had pushed the country back with its demonetization policy.

“People died in bank queues and we gave compensation to their families. What has the BJP done in two and a half years except picking up the broom and making people do Yoga”, he pointed out.

Referring to distribution of laptops, Samajwadi pension and other schemes initiated in his regime, Mr Akhilesh Yadav said that his development had benefited all sections of society.

He said that if he returned to power, he would ensure jobs for the youth and lay emphasis on skill development. Mr Yadav also attacked the BJP government for surgical strikes. He said several jawans were killed on the border and asked what help was extended to their families.

“It was the SP government which gave an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to their families. I appeal to people that the state elections are also going to decide the direction of the country and all should cast their votes judiciously”, he said.

Mr Akhilesh Yadav, who launched his election campaign form Tuesday, has been playing the development card and is talking about the new promises he has made in his 2017 manifesto.