At joint rally, Akhilesh says ‘wind of change from West UP’, Rahul Gandhi promises radical reforms.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhiaddressed a joint rally in Amroha in support of Congress candidateDanish Ali. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack at the ruling BJP and outlined their vision during a joint rally of the opposition INDIA bloc in Amroha. Addressing a crowd of supporters, Akhilesh Yadav declared, “The winds of change emerging from western UP will sweep across the nation, ushering in a transformation that will not only reshape Uttar Pradesh but will also sweep the BJP out of power.” He lambasted the BJP’s track record, asserting that their promises had fallen flat, particularly in improving the lives of farmers and tackling unemployment. “Yestersday’s first-day first-show of the BJP turned out a flop show. Their film of lies failed.” The rally was in support of Congress candidate Danish Ali, the sitting BSP MP who crossed over to the grand old party. “Tell me did any farmer’s income double? Youth are unemployed. Even the BJP’s traditional voters are rising against the BJP. They are doing panchayats and making decisions to vote against the BJP. I salute those people for their political awakening against the BJP,” Yadav said, in an apparent reference to the ‘Kshatriya discontent’ in western Uttar Pradesh. The recent caste Mahapanchayat in Muzzafarnagar expressed its anger over the poor representation of Thakurs in ticket distribution by the ruling BJP. The issue of alleged disrespect to community heroes like Raja Mihir Bhoj was also raised. Doubling down on the opposition’s charge that the BJP was seeking a two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha elections to change the Constitution, Yadav affirmed, “We do not want the BJP’s guarantee; we want the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution by Dr Ambedkar. And we want to safeguard that Constitution.” Echoing Akhilesh Yadav’s sentiments, Rahul Gandhi underscored the ideological battle between the INDIA bloc and the BJP-RSS. “On one side stands the INDIA bloc, committed to defending democracy and the Constitution, while on the other side, the BJP-RSS duo is engaged in dismantling these foundational principles,” Gandhi asserted.