Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said his party poses no threat to anyone.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) made the statement while reacting to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's allegation that Mr Yadav might get him "killed".
Talking to reporters in Lucknowearlier, the BJP leader said, "Yadav's heart is filled with venom for him. By conniving with others he can get me killed." He said he respects Mr Yadav and always refers to him as "Akhilesh ji, former CM or leader of opposition", adding that he never used any other word for him.
Reacting to the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Yadav said, "Samajwadi Party cannot be a threat to anyone. Their (BJP's) problem is that ever since Swami Prasad Maurya has joined our party and we have started working strongly on the ground, they are afraid for their 'kursi' (chair)." "Samajwadi Party loves him (Maurya) very much but it knows that irrespective of the humiliation he faces there, he will not leave the BJP," the party chief said.
On Mr Yadav's earlier allegation that BJP wanted to send him to jail, Mr Maurya said, "Those who do wrong go to jail. However, there is nothing like that (for Akhilesh) to his knowledge." "He should not try to gain sympathy by making such a statement and should concentrate on his party. In 2024 the SP will be wiped out. This is the time of his decline," Mr Maurya added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)