Buoyed by victory in the Lok Sabha bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the victory was a mandate against both the central and state governments and the results will give a new direction to national politics in Lucknow on 14 March.
He credited BSP chief Mayawati and allies Nishad Party and Peace Party as well as the Left parties for the victory.
After his party wrested both seats from the formidable BJP, Yadav said the elections were a "mandate on both the governments at the Centre and the state...people have come together to bring BJP's burey din (bad days)".
The SP chief was profuse in expressing his gratitude towards Mayawati, who was once his party’s most bitter rival in UP.
"Foremost I want to thank BSP leader Mayawati for her and her party's support in this important fight," he said.
A government which troubles people is pulled down and this government has created problems and led people to fear, Yadav said .
People in lakhs supported us on both the seats. Political messages always come out of elections in Uttar Pradesh and when one of it is the constituency of the chief minister who was undefeated for years, and the other is of the deputy chief minister, then it becomes all the more important. If the people of these areas have so much anger, think what will happen in elections across the country.Akhilesh Yadav, Former UP CM
He said the BJP talked about loan waivers for farmers and jobs for the unemployed but GST and demonetisation had created an adverse atmosphere and the Constitution was flouted in a big way.
No CM or party has flouted the Constitution like this...We (SP and BSP) were termed as snake and mole and I was also termed as Aurangzeb...The BJP government has betrayed the people of the country and state in the name of development and nationalism and people have given a befitting reply.Akhilesh Yadav
He termed the bypoll wins as a victory of social justice.
The SP chief claimed the "BJP's defeat would have been by a margin of lakhs had the elections been held through ballot paper." Though he did not take any question on alliance in the next Lok Sabha polls, the SP chief said for the time being he wanted to thank all the parties who helped in this "grand" victory.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)