Akhilesh says he owes his success to wife Dimple

That praising the wife is key to a peaceful life is known to every husband. Praising her publicly is even better.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that he owed his success in politics to his wife Dimple Yadav.

Addressing SP supporters after Dimple filed her nomination papers from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, Akhilesh said that he had been told by a 'Panditji' (astrologer) that he would achieve success after marriage.

''Within a few months after marriage, I got elected to Lok Sabha in a by-poll from Kannauj.....Dimple has proved lucky for me,'' he said. Dimple was also present there.

Akhilesh had got married in the month of November in 1999 and had won the Kannauj LS by-poll in February 2000.

The SP president invoked King Harshvardhana, who ruled parts of North India from 606 AD to 647 AD with Kannauj as his capital, to attack UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

''It was Harshvardhana, who had started the tradition of organising the Kumbh at Prayagraj....our CM is taking the credit,'' he said.

Akhilesh also had a dig at Adityanath and prime minister Narendra Modi over the manner in which they had taken the holy dip at 'sangam' at Prayagraj during the Kumbh.

''We could not see the 56 inches chest,'' he said. Modi had his clothes on, when he had taken the dip.

Akhilesh also said that the borders of the country were not ''safe'' under the BJP rule. ''Our jawans are dying every day,'' he said.