Synopsis
Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav’s inadvertent call for BJP’s victory sparks controversy in Etawah. Acknowledging the slip of the tongue, he asserts BJP’s fear of Mulayam’s family. Confident in SP’s prospects, he predicts victory in UP’s Lok Sabha elections. Amidst accusations and low voter turnout observations, Yadav maintains an aggressive campaign stance, countering criticism from BJP leaders and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
AgenciesIn an apparent slip of the tongue, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Akhilesh Yadav‘s uncle Shivpal Yadav sparked a political uproar during a poll event in Jaswant Nagar, Etawah. While addressing the gathering, Yadav inadvertently urged voters to ensure a massive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), instead of his own party, the SP.
The incident occurred as SP general secretary Yadav took to the stage and made a plea for the BJP to secure a significant win. However, it was clarified that this statement was a result of a slip of the tongue. Notably, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was also present during the event.
“People have to listen to Akhilesh and ensure that on May 7, the Bharatiya Janata Party should win with a huge margin,” stated Shivpal Yadav.
This comes amid Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also heard suggesting, “Voting for BJP is preferable to voting for TMC.”
However, the West Bengal Congress dismissed the video as “altered” and lodged a complaint with the Election Commission. TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee accused Chowdhury of acting as a BJP surrogate, hindering potential collaboration with the INDIA bloc in Bengal and bolstering BJP’s position.
Congress’ general secretary K C Venugopal addressed the matter, affirming, “Contravening the party’s core beliefs is unacceptable; leaders should refrain from such remarks.” Nonetheless, the authenticity of the video clip remains unverified.
In response to accusations by the ruling BJP, Shivpal Yadav asserted that the BJP is apprehensive of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family. He cautioned that the more the BJP leaders criticize their family, the greater the victory margin of SP candidates will be in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Expressing confidence in the SP and I.N.D.I.A bloc, Yadav predicted a sweeping victory in the third phase of general elections, with all 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh going to their candidates.
“BJP leaders are scared of Netaji’s family. The more they speak against Netaji and our family, the more the victory margin of SP candidates will be,” remarked Shivpal Yadav, addressing allegations by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the SP’s association with “one family.”
As the discussion delved into the low voter turnout in the initial phases of the UP Lok Sabha elections, Shivpal Yadav attributed it to the demographic of SP voters. He pointed out that SP supporters, primarily laborers and farmers, have been actively exercising their franchise despite adverse weather conditions. Conversely, he noted a stark contrast in the BJP’s voter turnout.
“Our voters are using their franchise. But BJP’s voters are not coming out of their homes. That is why there is a lot of nervousness in the BJP,” remarked Shivpal Yadav.
Responding to recent remarks by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding his age, Shivpal Yadav emphasized his robust campaign schedule, holding an impressive 40 meetings a day.
“I am holding 40 meetings a day. Yogi ji should see that even at his age he goes back after attending only four meetings a day,” Shivpal Yadav retorted.
The incident, though a result of a verbal slip, has added fuel to the political discourse, drawing attention to the intricacies of electoral campaigning and the underlying tensions between political factions.
