Mulayam Singh Yadav says 24X7 power supply in UP in a year

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday said that UP will have round the clock power supply in a year from now. Mulayam was addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag to mark the Republic Day at the party headquarters here.

Mulayam's announcement was seen as a response to the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's dig on power supply at his rally in Gorakhpur last Thursday. "They are talking about poor power supply in UP. How many initiatives did the BJP governments took during their three stints in UP?" Mulayam questioned adding: "Neither the BJP nor the Mayawati government did anything to improve the power supply in the state."

Talking about Muslims, Mulayam said the community has always voted for SP and the party too has stood by them. He questioned the relief and rehabilitation of victims of riots that took place in Meerut and Moradabad during Congress regimes and the massacre in Gujarat. "The Muzaffarnagar riots were unfortunate but look at the relief and rehabilitation work that has been done after that. We have paid over Rs 110 crore in relief and compensation and a government job to the next of kin of those killed, something that no other government has done till date," Mulayam said.

Mulayam also took on the media for making a mountain out of a mole hill on every issue pertaining to SP and UP and appealed to party workers to remain disciplined. He also asked party workers to resolve differences within them and unite before the next Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, taking on SP leader Azam Khan's claims that his party's chief Mulayam Singh has been a wrestler, BJP leader Amit Shah said in Ballia on Sunday: "Political battles are decided in the people's court and not in boxing rings."

Addressing a rally in Gorakhpur recently, Modi had claimed that Mulayam has failed to transform UP into Gujarat, because it needs a "56-inch chest," apparently suggesting that it requires large-hearted approach and determination that Narendra Modi has.