Jhoot, boot campaign on by BJP, says Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday asked the BJP whether it was pursuing a "jhoot and boot" campaign, a day after the party was embarrassed by its two legislators who attacked each other with one of them using his shoe.

By "jhoot" (lies), Yadav appeared to be referring to the multi-crore Rafale aircraft deal, which the Opposition has alleged involved corruption.

His comments came a day after the BJP-led government at the Centre told the Supreme Court that documents related to the agreement had been stolen from the Defence Ministry.

"First there were parallel negotiations. Then the (Rafale) files were stolen. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, MP-MLA used shoes for dispute resolution at a meeting to discuss development. Now BJP workers are asking their leaders as to what campaign is on? The 'jhoot' and the 'boot' or the youth and the booth?" Yadav said in Lucknow.

His "boot" dig was aimed at the fracas in Sant Kabir Nagar, where two elected representatives of the BJP hit each other during a meeting in presence of the minister of in-charge of the district, Ashutosh Tandon, son of Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon.

One of the legislators involved in the fight caught on tape used his shoe to hit the other.

On Thursday, Yadav's ally in Uttar Pradesh for the general election, BSP chief Mayawati, too had a dig at the Centre's disclosure about "stolen" Rafale jet deal documents.

Mayawati said in a tweet it was a "very strange and irresponsible chowkidari" that the documents were "stolen".

"The Modi govt made a sensational disclosure in the Hon'ble Supreme Court that secret documents pertaining to Rafale fighter deal were stolen from the Defence Ministry."

'Very strange & irresponsible chowkidari. Is national security & interest in the safe hands? Think long & loud," she tweeted.