Congress slams BJP leader's remark on UP poll outcome

Lucknow/Allahabad, Feb 11 (ANI): The Congress on Saturday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for predicting that no party would get a mandate after the declaration of the results the ongoing assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Reacting to BJP leader Yogi Adityanath's remark, Congress spokesperson Ram Kumar Bhargav said Adityanath's statement indicates that the party had accepted defeat even before the election results were out.

"Right after the first phase of the assembly elections, it has become clear that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is standing nowhere and Congress is leading. Adityanath Yogi is a senior leader of BJP and it looks like the party has accepted the defeat before hand and if it is not so, then the BJP should categorically state that these are not the views of the party," said Bhargav.

He also said the statement was against the principles of democracy.

"If a member of a national party, which is contesting elections in full swing, says that re-polling will happen in one year, this means that the party has accepted its defeat. This statement is also against democracy," he said.

In Allahabad, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh blamed Adiyanath for creating a rift between Hindus and Muslims.

"Adityanath Yogi is not following the path of his spiritual Guru Gorakh Nath, who's main objective included communal harmony. However, Adityanath is creating a rift and hatred between Hindus and Muslims and it shows he has deviated from his spiritual path," Singh said.

Adiyanath made his statement while casting his vote.

Polling for the second phase of assembly elections in UP kicked off in nine districts, including, Azamgarh, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Ghazipur, Ballia, Deoria, Mau, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar at 20425 polling booths set up at 12995 polling centres.

Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state and provides the biggest single bloc of seats in the Indian parliament.

The state polls are being viewed as an opportunity for major political parties to re-establish or strengthen their foothold in the country's fifth largest state.

Elections in Uttar Pradesh commenced on February 8 and they would conclude on March 3 as the people elect their representatives for 403 constituencies. (ANI)