Mayawati, Akhilesh attack BJP and Congress, warn voters not to split their votes  

From right: Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Ajit Singh during their Deoband rally.

Bahujan Samaj party chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, in their first joint rally since finalizing the tie-up last year, on Sunday, called their gathbandhan an “alliance for change” and claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress as “two sides of the same coin”. They cautioned the voters, particularly Muslims, against splitting their votes in the eight western Uttar Pradesh seats, which go to polls in the first phase on April 11.

Mayawati said, “If the BJP has to be dealt a body blow, then the gathbandhan is the only choice. The Congress is not strong enough to take on the BJP and I want to tell all of you, particularly Muslims, that a vote for the Congress here will only help the BJP. Do not split your votes.”

Akhilesh, while describing the 2019 Lok Sabha election as “historic”, said, “This government is drunk on power. They have forgotten their promises to the people. This will be a historic election. Modi says we are a mahamilavat (adulterated) alliance but this is a gathbandhan that will bring about parivartan (change). The gathbandhan will make sure there is a new prime minister.”

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