Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav raised EVM tampering allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday and said that the Election Commission "should answer on cases of EVM tampering." He also said that "elections must be held on ballot paper" in the future.
Yadav was addressing a press conference when he made the comments. He also said that the "Samajwadi Party will play an important role in the coalition that will be formed in the country in the future." The former chief minister further lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led government for indulging in politics in the name of religion and for deploying Anti-Romeo Squads in the state which has led to several innocent people getting thrashed.
"BJP wale to aise hain ki hume Hindu hi nahi samajhte, Ab to aisa hai ki Mandir jaon to pehle photo tweet kar doon (BJP does not even consider me Hindu anymore. The situation is such that I have to now tweet a photo every time I visit a temple to pray)," Yadav said. He added: "Romeo ke chakkar mein kitne pit rahe hain, kitne apmaan ho rahein hain (How many people are getting beaten up and insulted in the state due to anti-Romeo squad)."
Akhilesh Yadav ready for alliance with Mayawati
Yadav said that he is "ready for alliance" with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati. "I am ready for alliance against propaganda. I will duly perform my role in the alliance," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow a day after Mayawati had expressed her willingness to cooperate with anti-BJP parties to tackle the saffron party's power.
He also alleged that the Adityanath government was formed by cheating the people of Uttar Pradesh and that the law and order situation in the state has worsened under the current government.
