Akhilesh snatched bicycle from his father: Naidu

Naidu alleged during their regime, both the parties were involved in corruption, one at the Centre and another in the state, and in this elections people will oust the incumbent SP from power in UP

Varanasi, Feb 15: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday attacked UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying he had snatched the bicycle from his father who had taught him how to ride it. He also said after removing his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav from the post of Samajwadi Party national president, Akhilesh joined hands with Congress, "but both Congress and SP will suffer hugely in the ongoing Assembly elections."

Naidu alleged during their regime, both the parties were involved in corruption, one at the Centre and another in the state, and in this elections people will oust the incumbent SP from power in Uttar Pradesh.

"As a father Mulayam Singh Yadav taught his child Akhilesh Yadav how to ride a cycle, but when the UP Chief Minister grew up, he snatched his father's bicycle (SP election symbol)," Naidu said, addressing a press conference here.

"The father took his son everywhere on his cycle (giving lessons in politics) but his son after growing up snatched the cycle and unseated his father," he said, adding it was being discussed among the rural masses of the state. He alleged that Akhilesh calls himself a follower of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohiya, but in reality he is violating his principles.

Naidu claimed that the Congress-SP alliance was not in the interest of Uttar Pradesh as leaders from both the parties were involved in corruption, and asked the people to vote for a change to curb corruption in the state and support Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of UP.

The Union minister questioned the SP over its alliance with the Congress, saying what prompted the SP to form an alliance with Congress to contest the assembly elections, when it had always criticised the party over corruption. To a question on review of quota, Naidu said his party's stand was clear and the BJP was not at all in favour of reviewing the reservation system. "The NDA government will not make any changes till it is in power," he said, adding till the disparity exists in the socity, the reservation system will remain there.

PTI