Akhilesh dedicates bypoll victory to poor, minorities

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday termed the party's victory on the two Lok Sabha seats as the victory of the poor, the youth and the minorities.

"This victory is the victory of the citizens who are poor, are labourers, farmers, the youth, the minorities, and the women, and it is a huge victory," Yadav told press here.

Yadav congratulated the winning candidates, Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel from Phulpur seat and Pravin Nishad from Gorakhpur seat, and assured that they would voice the grievances of the public in the Parliament.

He further remarked, "The lotus withered in Phulpur. I thank the public of Phulpur; arrogance and such language was used, at least with the public's decision that will change, and the path will improve."

Addressing the topic of a future alliance with the Congress Party, Yadav steered clear of any concrete answer, and quipped, "Our relations were good with Congress and they will be so in future."

He also commended the youth workers of the party for their work in the bypolls.

The SP on Wednesday defeated the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bag both the constituencies that went for polls.