‘Muslims should not waste their votes on Congress’

Sugarcane arrears, farmers’ distress, the unfulfilled promises of the Narendra Modi government, the misdeeds of the Congress and consolidation of Muslim voters were the themes that figured prominently in the speeches made at the first joint election rally of the BSP-SP-RLD Grand Alliance here on Sunday.

Addressing a mammoth crowd, the leaders of the alliance maintained that they will ensure justice to farmers, the poor, the Dalits and the minorities by removing the BJP from power.

They also promised to fill vacancies in the government, as well as the paying of sugarcane dues in a time-bound manner.

Attacking the Centre, BSP supremo Mayawati said the present government is pro-RSS, pro big corporates and anti- people.

“No amount of theatrics and jumla are going to help them in this election. The farmers have been cheated by this government. The farmers in Uttar Pradesh are particularly under distress because of the BJP’s policies,” she said.

She said sugarcane arrears increased whenever the BJP is in power. “As the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, I had ensured that there is no delay in sugarcane payments to farmers,” she added.

Playing the Dalit card, she said the Congress and the BJP governments at the Centre did not do anything to reserve jobs for Dalits in the private sector.

“A number of government sector jobs have gone to the private sector under the Congress and the BJP regimes,” she alleged, and added that the poor have become poorer under Modi due to demonetisation and the GST.

Attacking the Congress, she said the party’s leaders are more interested in visiting places of worship, taking boat rides and cutting secular votes than listening to the problems of farmers.

“I would like to tell Muslim voters to not waste their vote on the Congress. The Congress is not in this fight. We are fighting the BJP, and we will win,” she said.

‘Chowkidar will be defeated’

SP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said this election will create history. “There are leaders who spread nothing but hate. If you ask them about their promises, they will remain silent,” Yadav said.

He said Modi came in 2014 as a chaaiwala, and promised crores of jobs. “Now, he is under the garb of a chowkidar. But every farmer, Dalit and poor will ensure the defeat of this chowkidar in 2019,” he added.

He said the alliance will provide a new direction and a new Prime Minister to the country.

“The BJP is taking the country backwards. They are dividing the country yet again in the name of religion,” he added.

Yadav, believed to be close to the Congress leadership, did notspare the Grand Old Party. “The Congress and the BJP follow the same policies. The Congress does not want to stand with the change in the country. They want to build their party in UP,” he said.

RLD President Ajit Singh said Modi promise achhe din, and what people instead got was bure din (bad days). The farmers’ leader also reminded the people about the promises such as implementation of MS Swaminathan Commission report and timely payment of sugarcane arrears.

“Farmers will not pardon this government,” he added.

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