Akhilesh rattled over impending loss in UP polls: State BJP Chief Keshav Prasad Maurya

NEW DELHI: Taking on UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over his dig at its president Amit Shah after he had lunch at a Dalit household today, BJP questioned as to why he is so "rattled" over it and wondered if it was due to the prospect of an impending "loss" in the next year's assembly polls.

In a statement issued here by its state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP said Shah had lunch with party worker Girja Prasad Bind and its leaders followed the tradition of staying and having meal at workers' house during travel.

"It has been our tradition and should be seen like this. Giving it a political colour is not logical at all," he said.

In a much-publicised event, Shah and other party leaders had a meal with Bind, a Dalit party activist, in Jogiyapur village in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

It is being seen as part of the saffron party's drive to win over Dalits, who have for the last several years now supported the Mayawati-led BSP and will play an important role in the 2017 assembly election.

Attacking BJP, Yadav said it was doing so with an eye on the UP polls and that the Samajwadi Party does not look at people through the prism of caste.

Hitting back, Maurya said, "Why is he so rattled over our president's meal at a worker's house? Dividing people on religious and caste lines has been the Samajwadi Party's culture. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is making such remarks as he has realised that he is losing power in 2017 and is rattled over it."