Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's book, Yogi Adityanath used abbreviations
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, one of BJP's election campaigners, put a spin on his party's poll motto, "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" (Development for all) to attack the opposition, saying the opposition-- Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress-- stood for "sabka vinaash" (destruction for all).
Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's book, he used abbreviations, saying "SABKA" stands for SP, BSP, and Congress. "SABKA stands for SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) and Congress. Our Sabka slogan speaks about development of all. Their Sabka speaks about destruction of everyone...We stand for Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas. Yours is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vinaash," Yogi Adityanath was quoted by news agency PTI in Uttar Pradesh assembly.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Yogi Adityanath said the party might not have come to its lowest tally in general and assembly elections if it had been proud of the country's tradition.
"Every citizen of this country is proud of our traditions. If the Congress had tried to take pride in the country's traditions, it would not have come to its lowest tally in the state and the country. This situation has come as the Congress had insulted the culture and traditions of the country."
"When you want to garner votes, you show your janeu (sacred threads worn by Hindus). People have even started telling their ''Gotra'' (sub-caste)... And even the SP did not find the Congress suitable to include it in the SP-BSP alliance," he jabbed the party.
He was referring to the Congress comment before assembly elections last year in which the party had called its president a janue-dhari Brahmin.
The Congress was in talks with Mayawati's BSP and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party for an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. However, the two leaders chose to omit Mr Gandhi's party, saying it would not be beneficial for them to keep the Congress in their alliance.
Yogi Adityanath also took a jibe at Ram Gobind Chaudhary (SP leader), the Leader of Opposition in the assembly. "If you (Ram Gobind Chaudhary) had even an iota of sympathy for the poor, you would have been with Shivpal Yadav's political party and not with the SP. (Ram Manohar) Lohiaji had spoken about socialism, which is not seen in your party (SP). In reality, it is Shivpal Yadav who takes the name of Lohiaji. You (SP) people do not take his name," he said.
Shivpal Yadav, who had been sacked from Samajwadi Party after his nephew Akhilesh Yadav took over, was hoping that his outfit would be included in the BSP-SP grand-alliance. His party was also ignored by the leaders.
The electoral fight in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 lawmakers to parliament, became more interesting when the Congress inducted Mr Gandhi's sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, into active politics. She, along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, has been entrusted with the state for the upcoming elections. Mr Gandhi recently announced that the duo were also tasked with reviving the party in the state for assembly elections.
With inputs from PTI