'Alert voters' have rejected opportunistic, casteist politics of mahagathbandhan: UP CM

As the BJP marched towards a grand victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday said alert voters have rejected the "opportunistic and casteist" politics of mahagathbandhan forged by the opposition parties.

"It is high time for the opposition to introspect and shun politics of negativity," Adityanath told PTI in his first interview after trends showed massive gains for the BJP.

He hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for BJP's "historic victory".

The chief minister said "alert voters have rejected opportunistic and casteist politics of the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)".

According to latest trends, the BJP was leading in 60 of the 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh.

"People across the country have rejected the negative politics of casteism, dynastic politics, and have accepted with open arms the positive politics of development and nationalism. This time our slogan was 'Abki Baar 300 Paar, Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkaar' (This time beyond 300, once again Modi government)," he said.

Congratulating the Prime Minister for the "historic" win, he said, "This is a victory of his (Modi's) leadership, the strategic and organisational planning of BJP chief Amit Shah and the result of hardwork of crores of BJP workers. I also congratulate party chief Amit Shah and crores of BJP workers."