Mulayam still hopeful of good show in UP poll

Gorakhpur, May 5 (UNI) Terming the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly poll as ''decisive'' for Indian politics, Samajwadi Party supremo and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today alleged the opposition, ''which is busy hatching a conspiracy against him,'' would know their status on May 11 when counting takes place.

''In a democratic set up, people have the power to decide the fate of any political party...people are with SP,'' Mr Yadav asserted, addressing an election meeting here.

''There is a strong SP undercurrent in UP. The opposition is unnecessarily training guns at us and trying to shake the pillars of my regime. BJP and Congress are gunning for me, as I am a son of a poor farmer,'' he claimed.

Castigating the Congress-led UPA, he noted ''it always ditched the masses. The party befooled people in its 45-year-long spell of power at the centre. After being wiped off in Uttarakhand and Maharashtra, it will face a similar fate in UP too.'' Firing a salvo at BJP, Mr Yadav charged it with being ''power hungry and trying to gain power by spreading the poison of communalism.'' Highlighting the achievements of his regime, he announced that given a chance to resume power in UP, education, irrigation and medical facilities would be made free to all, while Kanya Vidya Dhan amount will also be raised.'' ''When I came to power, the state treasury was empty. I feel proud to state that at present it has Rs 25,000 crore,'' he claimed.

UNI