SP releases manifesto; Mulayam, Shivpal stay away

Lucknow, January 22

The Samajwadi Party on Sunday released its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections that promised "development" of the state, as the party gears up for a keenly contested election battle next month.   

Akhilesh, in his new role as the Samajwadi Party national president, directed all candidates to prepare a road map for development of their respective Assembly constituencies.

As Mulayam and Shivpal, the warring uncle of Akhilesh, were conspicuous by their absence, senior SP leader Azam Khan rushed to the SP patriarch's bungalow to bring him to the event. But even then Mulayam did not grace the occasion where senior party leaders and Dimple Yadav, MP and wife of the chief minister were present.

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The chief minister asked party workers to go to the masses and make them aware of the schemes implemented by his government during the past five years.

"A lot of work has been done in a big way. We have to work more in future. I tried for the past five years not to leave path of socialism and also ensure balanced development to improve rural economics," he said.

Akhilesh also ridiculed his political opponents, saying: "Some parties are there who have nothing to do".  He slammed BJP for its Lok Sabha poll promises and asked what happed to its 'Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas' slogan.

"People are desperately looking for those who had promised acche din," he said.

In a veiled attack on Prime Minisiter Narendra Modi, he said BJP has nothing to speak on development. "They sometimes give you 'jhadu' (broom) or ask you to perform yoga," he said.

He also took on BSP, claiming that the 'Patthar Wali Sarkar' has done nothing for UP except erecting stone statues of elephants, its poll symbol.

"If BSP comes to power, its government will install bigger elephant statues," he claimed.
In an impassioned appeal to the electorate to vote SP back to power, Akhilesh said, "We got support on 2012 manifesto, we also fulfilled promises made in it."

(Also read: SP to contest 298 seats, Cong 105)

(Akhilesh mocks Modi for ‘achchey din’ promise)

(BSP govt ‘patthar wali sarkar’: Akhilesh; Mayawati hits back)

"The manifesto is a 'sankalp' (promise) to form future government. It's clear that we all want to form Samajwadi Party government. If you work for 5 years, you will get government of five years," he said.

The chief minister said his party would sweep the elections with 300 of the 403 seats, up from 224 it had won in 2017.

Referring to his dream project, Lucknow-Agra expressway, he said it has reduced the travel time considerably.

"Those who have travelled know it the best," he said. "If given chance, it (expressway) will reach Ghazipur and Ballia."

Highlights

—    Establishment of Farmers' fund.

—    24-hour supply power in rural areas.

—    Free smart phones under Samajwadi smart phone scheme            

—    Rs 1,000 per month to 1 crore people under expansion of Samajwadi pension scheme

—    Free cycle to girls studying in class ninth to 12th.

—    Pressure cooker to poor women

—    Free ghee and milk powder to poor students

—    Nutritious diet to pregnant women at their place.

—    Metro expansion in Agra, Kanpur, Varanasi and Meerut.

—    Samajwadi party smart villages

—    Construction of Purvanchal expressway and Bundelkhand-Terai Expressway

—    River front development in prominent cities.

—    Rs 10 lakh to lawyers, less than 60 years age, on untimely deaths

—    Samajwadi sports school for sports promotion — PTI