Poll-bound Uttar Pradesh remains on boil as political cauldron simmers

Chandauli/Allahabad/Deoria, Feb 6 (ANI): High-voltage drama continues in Uttar Pradesh, with contesting parties flexing their political muscle in various campaigns ahead of the polls.

Addressing a rally in Chandauli, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra criticised parties supporting the Election Commission's recent directive to cover statues depicting the BSP's poll symbol.

"This elephant (BSP symbol) cannot be silenced merely by covering it up. This elephant is the one that will mow down all its opponents and rush forward despite attempts to cover it up. This elephant cannot be made to bow down. Even if you cover this elephant, how will you cover and hide the elephant that is haunting you (BSP's political rivals) in your dreams? This elephant will scare its opponents," he said.

"This fear (among BSP's rivals) is bound to increase, since it has begun making rapid strides. It is walking towards New Delhi. This is why, everyone, especially the Congress party, is worried," he added.

Mishra also launched a scathing counter-attack at Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi for suggesting that the BSP had 'embezzled' government funds earmarked for development of Uttar Pradesh.

"Their magical hand (Congress sysmbol) takes away money allocated to the states to its bank accounts based abroad. They have stashed away the funds as black money in these accounts. The Congress party always opposes moves to bring back black money based in offshore banks. It does not want to frame a law to repatriate illegal funds back to India. They do not want to identify the people who have such accounts, " Mishra said.

Meanwhile, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has urged voters to refrain from voting 'corrupt' parties.

"Do not vote for those parties whose intentions and policies are wrong. It is due to the government's wrong policies and intentions that price rise and poverty are prevailing in the nation. Price rise and poverty is a gift given by one particular party (Congress party). Neither is there any price rise in the country nor is there any poverty. These have been caused in the country under a conspiracy," Ramdev told media in Allahabad.

Rashtriya Lokmanch Party president Amar Singh took on his friend-turned foe Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for selling false hopes and dreams to the masses.

"Netaji (Mulayam Singh) says you give my power, I will give you an allowance. You give me power, but I will not give you employment opportunities. I will give you an allowance, and if you cannot make ends meet with the allowance, then I will give you a gun," Singh told a gathering in Deoria.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted between February 8 and March 3, and counting will take place on March 6.

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)