As Rahul Gandhi undertakes his 2,500-km yatra in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday termed the Congress scion as a good human being and said they can forge a “friendship” if he spends more time in the state, setting off speculation about a political realignment.
Mr. Yadav, however, shrugged off a question on possible alliance between Congress and the Samajwadi Party in run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
“Rahulji bahut acche insan hain, bahut acche ladke hain.
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UP me jyada rahenge to hamari bhi dosti unse hogi...do acche log mil jaye to kya kharab baat hai? (Rahul is a good human being and a good boy. If he spends more time in UP, we can also have friendship with him...If two good human beings meet, what’s wrong in that),” he said.
During his ongoing ‘Kisan Mahayatra’ in the state, Mr. Gandhi has been aggressively attacking Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi but has taken only veiled jibes at the SP government in the state.
When Mr. Yadav was asked about chances of SP-Congress coalition, he said, “Aap isme rajniti kyun dekh rahe hain (Why are you seeing politics in it?”
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He was talking to media after a Cabinet meeting.
On locals carrying away cots, many on their bicycles, after Mr. Gandhi’s ‘Khat Panchayat’, Mr. Yadav said, “At least the bicycle (SP’s poll symbol) has some use for them...had it been taken by samajwadis, you (media) would have said samajwadi goondas took it away“.
Asked about State Minister Azam Khan’s controversial comments on BR Ambedkar, Mr. Yadav said the issue should not be politicised.
“In Uttar Pradesh, elections are nearing. No one should become ‘thekedar’ of ‘mahapurush’ (great personalities). You should not let them become ‘thekedar of mahapurush,” he said.