“BJP won’t renew UP tickets for sitting MPs, barring one”: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 3 (ANI): Amid rising differences between the INDIA partners over seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday sought to shift focus to the BJP, claiming that the ruling party at the Centre would not renew tickets to all its present MPs from the state barring one.

Posting from his official handle on X, the former chief minister said the BJP has still not put out its list of Lok Sabha candidates from the state as their sitting MPs did little except ‘fill their pockets’.

“We have gathered from sources that the BJP will not renew the tickets of all its present MPs from Uttar Pradesh, except one. They are in no position to announce their candidates (for UP) for the Lok Sabha elections as their sitting did nothing but fill their pockets. There is a lot of anger among the public against the BJP and its MPs. In the midst of such circumstances, they are searching for fresh candidates. However, no one wants to fight a losing battle. No one is coming forward to be a BJP candidate,” Akhilesh posted from X.

The SP chief stated further that BJP MPs won’t receive a warm reception when they return to their respective Lok Sabha constituencies. “This time, the people of Uttar Pradesh will not elect big talkers but ones who can actually deliver on their promises,” Akhilesh said, adding, “Ab PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpasankhayak) Ki Ekta Jaagi, Chhod Ke UP BJP Bhaagi (when the PDA unite, the BJP will disappear from UP).”

Earlier, on Friday, SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav claimed that the Congress and the Akhilesh Yadav-led party have finalised their seat-sharing arrangement in Uttar Pradesh.

On whether the Congress could go with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in UP, Yadav said the grand old party has already reached an agreement over seat-sharing with the Samajwadis.

“The Congress has reached a seat-sharing agreement with the Samajwadi Party. We will declare our Lok Sabha candidates soon,” Yadav said.