CM Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati target Priyanka Gandhi on infant deaths

New Delhi | Lucknow: The deaths of children in Kota have entered the political discourse in Uttar Pradesh with BSP chief Mayawati and chief minister Yogi Adityanath taking potshots at Congress’ UP general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her silence on the issue.

In a first such attack, Mayawati on Thursday said: “If Congress’ national woman general secretary doesn’t go and meet the dead infants’ mothers in Kota, then her meeting with the families of protest victims in UP will only be considered mere drama to gain political edge and the citizens of UP should be wary of this.”

Yogi Adityanath, who called Vadra’s acts in UP a 'political drama', said: “If, instead of indulging in political gimmick in Uttar Pradesh, Mrs Vadra had met those poor mothers who lost their children due to negligence of her party’s government, then those families would have got some solace.” “She is not concerned about anyone and has no sensitivity or sense of public service; only politics,” he said.


However, a senior UP Congress leader said the reaction from Mayawati and Yogi showed Vadra had created a “political buzz” in UP with her visits and hence she was being attacked. Mayawati’s position as the only woman leader in UP for the past two decades is being challenged by Vadra, the Congress leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The relationship between Mayawati and the Congress has been rocky ever since both sides failed to ally in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh elections last year.