Akhilesh hits back at PM for mocking 'mahagathbandhan'

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mocking the proposed opposition alliance as "maha-milawat," Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav warned Friday that the "concoction" of parties should not be taken lightly.

"This is such a concoction that you don't know which party will get obliterated (yeh aisi maha-milawat hai ki kaun kahan mit jayega pata nahi)," Yadav said at a press conference here. He was asked about Modi's comment, terming the proposed mahagathbandhan, or the grand alliance, a maha-milawat (adulteration). Modi had said the maha-milawat will be rejected by the country's "healthy democracy" in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Yadav said his party's alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will remain intact and the seat-sharing details will be declared at the right time.

On the prime minister's "ulta chor chowkidar ko daantey" (thief accusing the guard) remark, Yadav said Modi should make clear for whom does this comment hold true.

Yadav said the BJP government wants to encourage liquor consumption for protecting cows.

The Uttar Pradesh government recently decided to impose special cess on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer to fund stray cow shelter homes, grazing grounds and other cattle protection activities.

The SP chief blamed the BJP government for the recent deaths due to spurious liquor.

"The government is responsible. Who is brewing such liquor, the government knows everything? BJP leaders are involved in it," he alleged.

Yadav took potshots at the BJP for "not implementing promises made in its manifesto ahead of the 2017 assembly polls. "The state government presented its third budget but no promises have been fulfilled. The BJP has forgotten its own 'Sankalp Patra'.