'I have never run after any post', says Yogi Adityanath on prime ministerial ambitions
Categories: Politics news
With rivals equating the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the Jallianwala massacre to target the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asserted that the law is taking its own course in the matter and the Opposition's attempt to derive political mileage in the polls will not succeed.In an interview with PTI, Adityanath claimed the other parties were only fighting the polls for the second spot and said he was not at all worried about his own election from Gorakhpur Urban seat. Asked if he has any prime ministerial ambition, the saffron-clad seer who is often dubbed as the poster boy of Hindutva answered: "I am a simple worker of the BJP and perform the task given by the party to me. I have never run after any post or chair."On Akhilesh Yadav's statement in his rallies that law-breakers need not vote for him, the chief minister mockingly said, "It's the opposite. He is asking law-breakers and anti-social elements to group together for the return of old rule." The issue of law and order has been a major poll plank of the BJP which has accused the previous SP government of giving a free hand to mafias and criminals.Four farmers were crushed under the wheels of SUVs when they were protesting against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to MOS native place for a programme on October 3 last year. Four others, including two BJP workers, a driver and a journalist were also killed in the subsequent violence. "Opposition is trying to derive political mileage from the incident that's why they are using it as 'rajnitik shagufa'," he said, adding that the farmers will support the BJP for the various schemes launched for their benefit."Why should I worry, it has been a traditional BJP seat and people themselves fight for the party there and they will do it this time too," the chief minister, who is contesting from his home turf in his maiden foray in assembly election said. "We have a strong support base among 80 per cent of the voters while they are fighting among themselves for the remaining 20 per cent," he said.Asserting that he would continue his operation against criminals and mafias after returning to power, Adityanath said, "There will be a stick of development in one hand while another hand will be on a bulldozer to run over the anti-social elements."