'Netaji's' respect will increase if SP-Cong alliance wins: Akhilesh

In a polite response to his father's rejection of him entering into a new relationship with the Congress Party for the high-voltage Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said Mulayam Singh Yadav's respect will increase if the freshly forged alliance forms the next government in the state.

"If we win, it will be Mulayam Singh whose respect will increase the most," Akhilesh said while addressing a rally here.

He also used the occasion to train guns at the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), saying if Mayawati-led party comes to power then it will construct more elephants in the state.

"If elephant's size increases then imagine what size elephant she will construct," said Akhilesh.

Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said that demonetisation adversely affected the state's economy.

Expressing his anger over the newly-formed alliance of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, Mulayam yesterday said the party has the capability to win the elections without any support.

"Our party has the capability to contest this election without any support. I am confident that it would have marked victory had it contested alone," he added.

He asserted that he would not campaign for the alliance in the assembly elections.

"I am against the alliance formed between the Samajwadi Party and Congress. I will never acknowledge this alliance. The Congress was in power for so long, but it did not do anything for the development of the country. I will not campaign in this election," Mulayam told ANI in an exclusive interview.

Mulayam further lambasted Akhilesh for going against his wishes and jeopardising the chances of his own party members.

Uttar Pradesh will be voting for a new state assembly in a seven-phase election between February 11 and March 8.

Out of the 403 assembly seats, the Congress will be contesting in 105 seats and the Samajwadi Party will field its candidates in rest of the 298 seats.