Mr Yadav also trained his guns on the alleged misuse of central investigative agencies. (file)
New Delhi:
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who recently met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and agreed on a new opposition front without the Congress, today said the grand old party will have to decide its role.
“The Congress is a national party and we are a regional party,” he said.
Mr Yadav also indicated that his party would contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Amethi constituency, a former Gandhi family bastion, from where his party has not contested since 1996. BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani won against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi. 2019 elections. He said the same for another Gandhi family bastion, Rae Bareli, which is represented by Sonia Gandhi.
“I was in Amethi recently. Our party helps Congress win elections in these seats, but when injustice is done to Samajwadi Party workers, Congress does not say a word. Our leaders say we should The seats should be contested. So, when the time comes to decide, we will talk to our party workers and decide.”
When asked what would be the formula of the proposed opposition front ahead of the general elections, Yadav said it would not be disclosed.
“We will not reveal the formula of the opposition front, the aim is to defeat the BJP,” he said.
Mr Yadav also trained his guns on the alleged misuse of central investigative agencies against opposition leaders.
“Whichever party stands against them, they then send ED, CBI and Income Tax,” he said.
He said the BJP would be politically finished in the coming days, “like the Congress”, for “misusing” central agencies against opposition parties.
He said, “Congress used to do the same and now BJP is also doing the same. If Congress is finished, BJP will also be finished.”
He also referred to the demand for caste census, saying that people’s problems would not be solved and without it there would be no social justice.
Yadav said, “We want the BJP-led central government to conduct a caste census. Many leaders have been demanding it. But like the Congress, the BJP is also unwilling to get it done.”
Akhilesh Yadav met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Friday. Ms Banerjee will also next week meet Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who heads the Biju Janata Dal, for a possible alliance staying away from the Congress.
