Akhilesh will win by 1.5 lakh votes in Karhal: Ram Gopal Yadav

Rajya Sabha member and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Sunday said that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will win his election by over 1.5 lakh votes from the Karhal constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to IANS after casting his vote in Saifai, he said that there is a one-sided wave in favour of the SP in the state, and "people are eagerly waiting to make Akhilesh Yadav the Chief Minister and see the departure of Baba (Yogi Adityanath)" on March 10.

Responding to a question about the BJP's strategy to field S.P. Singh Baghel against Akhilesh Yadav to put him under pressure, Yadav said, "Not even a simple SP worker is not under pressure by Baghel's candidature and the people of Karhal will send him (Baghel) back after forfeiting his deposit."

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Replying to the BJP's allegation about the Samajwadi Party's connection with the terrorists, Ram Gopal Yadav said, "When a person becomes insane, he starts talking like this. You must have seen a person suffering from typhoid fever speaking like this and even he also does not understand what he is speaking. This is the same condition the BJP is finding itself stuck in today."

He also said that his party is going to win at least 150 seats in the first three phases, including at least 50 seats in the third phase.

Yadav further said that the way the trends are going in the state, the SP would not need any support from the Congress or other parties. "We are already in alliance with other parties (RLD and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party). Why would we be needing support from any other party," he added.

Replying to the question of how many seats the SP is predicting for itself in UP, Ram Gopal Yadav said that Akhilesh has claimed that the SP would win around 400 seats in UP.

Also Read | Battle for UP: Akhilesh, Baghel won't vote for themselves

"I support his claim. We found that even in those seats where we were a bit apprehensive about our candidates' performance in the last two phases, we are winning by thumping majorities," Yadav said.

The third phase polling for 59 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh was underway Sunday. This is the most crucial round of elections so far and will possibly chalk out the political direction that the state is headed for.

Polling was underway across 16 crucial districts of Firozabad, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Hathras, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Farrukhabad, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba Jalaun, Jhansi, and Etah. Samajwadi Party supremo and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is contesting from the Karhal seat against BJP candidate and Union Minister S.P. Singh Baghel.

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