Samajwadi Party would curb crime in UP, if elected: Mulayam

Azamgarh/Gorakhpur/Hardoi, Feb 7 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has said that his government would curb crime and lawlessness, if elected to power in Uttar Pradesh.

"Certain parties are carrying out a malicious campaign by spreading lies that hooliganism and crime will prevail if Samajwadi Party comes to power. I promise you, that the Samajwadi Party government will not promote crime and criminals," Yadav told a gathering here on Monday.

"No criminals or musclemen would be allowed to grow in the state, no matter how influential the person. Even if there is such a person in the Samajwadi Party, he will be punished. All those who spread fear and violence in the state will be sent to prison or out of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and president of Jan Kranti Party Kalyan Singh slammed all contesting parties, stressing that none of them was serious towards the welfare of the masses.

"All parties and leaders are talking about development and making promises but nobody wants to do it. Nobody wants to work for the development of the villages and the farmers. They only make empty speeches," Singh said in Hardoi.

The polls in Uttar Pradesh are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted between February 8 and March 3. Counting will take place on March 6.

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)