Cong should be disbanded as wished by Mahatma Gandhi: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday said since the Congress did not work in the interest of farmers, it should be disbanded as wished by Mahatma Gandhi.

In a veiled reference to veteran Congressman Digvijay Singh, he said a Congress leader's name had cropped up in a Naxal-related case.

"The Congress has not worked in the interest of the farmers. Therefore, it should be disbanded as wished by Mahatma Gandhi. This is your responsibility," Adityanath said, while addressing a gathering at Narsinghar in this district of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

"A big Congress leader's name has cropped up in a case connected to Naxals. Terrorism and Naxalism are a threat to the nation and the Congress's sympathy for them is condemnable," he added.

The Pune police had earlier said a letter seized in connection with the Elgar Parishad probe referred to a mobile number purportedly belonging to Singh.

Two days ago, Singh had dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against him in the Elgar Parishad case.

Adityanath claimed that Naxalism started emerging in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago.

"Madhya Pradesh was then known for potholed roads, unemployment, but after the BJP came to power, it turned the state into a developed one," he said.

Adityanath expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win the elections in all the five states where they are being held, including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Justifying the decision to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj, he said it was because of the confluence of the holy rivers of Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga, and added that the old name was not right.

The 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.