Officers told to issue as many Red Cards as possible to SP-BSP workers, scare people from voting: Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed on Saturday that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance will post a clean sweep victory in Uttar Pradesh with the BJP managing to win perhaps only one seat in the sixth or seventh phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

He also alleged that the BJP wants to win through 'Red Card' with election officials being instructed to issue as many notices as possible to the SP and BSP workers

"Red cards are being issued to SP-BSP workers to prevent them from voting. Is the BJP government's image clear?..... Is there no one there with a criminal background in that party who was issued a Red Card?," Yadav told ANI.

"BJP is conspiring to scare people so that they do not cast their votes. But then only our workers are being provided red cards to show that BJP has a clean image because they know every class of the society is going to vote in favour of the SP-BSP," he said.

The SP leader alleged that BJP is afraid of losing as people have cast their votes in favour of the SP-BSP alliance.

"The first five phases of Lok Sabha elections have proved that our alliance is leading. They might be getting one seat somewhere across the state in the sixth or seventh phase, otherwise, the alliance is making a clean sweep," he said.

"The government has nothing to say on development that is why people's attention has been diverted towards other issues. Also, they implemented no useful schemes that they can boast about while addressing youth," he said.

On being asked about the recent remarks of Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, where he called BJP 'Kale- Angrez', Yadav said: "We all know about the kind of language used by BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh. It is disgusting and should not be used during polls. As they cannot hold debates on the issue of development they are using foul languages."

Addressing a rally in Indore, Sidhu, while attacking the BJP, had said: "Congress is the party that gave freedom to the country; it is the party of Maulana Azad and Mahatma Gandhi. They gave us freedom from the white and the people of Indore will free this country from 'Kale Angrez' (black Britishers)."

"BJP is bringing back old issues to target other political parties but they should remember that same will be done to them once other government came into power," he added.

Five of the seven phases of the general elections have concluded, while two phases are scheduled to be held on May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

Polling in Uttar Pradesh is being held in all seven phases.