Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP for misusing religion

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over dragging the element of religion during their poll campaigns.

During an election rally of the Samajwadi Party in Tanda, Yadav criticised the BJP for using religion to make political gains.

"If there is any party that wishes to reap benefits out of the element of religion, it is the Bharatiya Janata Party. See their stages during their campaigns; they make use of religion there also. They make use of religion even in their slogans. I want to know who used God's picture on the stage during the Varanasi rally. If somebody is using religion, it is the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.

Election campaigns in India by political parties are in full swing as the fourth phase of the elections ended today.

Meanwhile leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Shazia Ilmi took a jibe at BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, during the party election campaign in Bhopal.

"Narendra Modi calls himself a tea vendor, but when we ask from where he got helicopters and aircraft, he does not have an answer. And it is astonishing that a tea vendor has a number of helicopters and aircraft,"said Ilmi.

The AAP's meteoric rise has forced the main parties, with an eye on the coming election, to adopt some of its anti-elite, anti-corruption language and measures.

In a similar election campaign in Tamil Nadu, Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, in a drive to garner support for Congress in the state which is dominated by two regional parties, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), urged people to abstain from voting for them.

"If your vote has to have a value, if you want a party which can form a strong government in the centre, then please do not waste your vote by voting for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)."said Chidambaram.