BJP hits back at Akhilesh Yadav over 'donkey' jibe

Uttar Pradesh incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's 'donkey' remark targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggered a sharp reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the former of 'insulting' the people of the western state.

"After analysing the last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections, Akhilesh can foresee his defeat. This is a very derogatory remark and insults Gujarat," Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani told ANI.

He added that the BJP will definitely form the government in Uttar Pradesh, and therefore, Akhilesh Yadav's depression is reflected through his comments.

"In this election, this was not a relevant topic, but, still he came up with it to create nuisance," Rupani added.

"He is frustrated now and he knows that he will lose this election. Amitabh Bacchan is a very popular actor and everybody respects him immensely. To talk rubbish about him is appropriate at all," he stated.

Rupani further said that the Congress party members in Gujarat will have to apologise to the people.

Echoing similar emotion, BJP leader Shrikant Sharma said that the Samajwadi Party knows that they will not win the Uttar Pradesh elections.

"Akhilesh has accepted his defeat. The words used by his party members show that they are well aware of the fact that now they will not be able to form the government in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

He added that a chief minister has to come up with reports about what all he has done for the people, but Akhilesh Yadav does not have anything positive to present.

"Due to frustration he uses terms like 'donkey' for opposition parties and their party members call the Prime Minister as 'terrorist'," Sharma said.

Earlier on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav appealed 'Sadi ke Mahanayak' (without actually naming Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for Gujarat 'donkeys.'

"I would like to request the 'mahanayak' of the century (Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for donkeys of Gujarat. Those who have seen the advertisement will understand whom we are talking about," said Akhilesh while addressing a rally here.

"Have you ever heard of campaigning for donkeys? Gujarat's people are doing campaigns for donkeys...then they accuse me of working only for kabristan (graveyard...)," he said in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'shamshan ghat-kabristan' comment.

Apparently, Yadav was referring to Gujarat Tourism's advertisement featuring Amitabh Bachchan, popularly referred to as 'Sadi ka mahanayak', with the state's famed wild asses.