'Batenge toh katenge' negative slogan: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday dubbed the "batenge toh katenge" slogan akin to the divide and rule policy of the British and said such "negative" slogans will be rejected by the people. He also said that while the Bharatiya Janata Party used to talk of a "double engine", its engines are now "colliding" in Uttar Pradesh.

He alleged that the date of the nine Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh was shifted from November 13 to November 20 because the BJP knew it would face defeat.

Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, he said the Yogi Adityanath government did little to improve infrastructure and health facilities in the state.


Yadav said the youth was angry with the Uttar Pradesh government as it had not taken care of issues like unemployment and failed to hold entrance exams properly.

Yadav said the slogan "Batenge toh katenge" given by BJP's star campaigner Adityanath was "negative" and the people would reject it. He said even the BJP allies have imposed such slogans.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been using "Ek hai toh safe hai" slogans in his poll campaigns.

Opposition parties have maintained that the "Batenge toh katenge" slogan has communal overtones.

Responding to a question, he expressed confidence that the opposition alliance MVA will win the Maharashtra Assembly polls.