Uttar Pradesh polls still seven months away but below the belt attacks already start

The next assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh may still be a good seven months away, but below the belt attacks by the politicians have started indicating a no holds barred electoral battle ahead.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is known for speaking his mind, came in for sharp criticism from his main electoral rival and Samajwadi Party (SP) Akhilesh Yadav after the former, in a sarcastic remark, called the SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav as Akhilesh's 'abbajan' (father in Urdu).

Adityanath's jibe came when his attention was drawn to Akhilesh's remarks that he (Akhilesh) was a ''more devout'' Hindu than the BJP leaders.

''If it is so then why did his (Akhilesh) abbajan declare that even a bird would not be able to enter Ayodhya?,'' Adityanath said while referring to the assertion of Mulayam, who was then the chief minister of UP when the karsevaks threatened to demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1990.

''The CM should be careful in choosing his words. I will also start saying things about his (Adityanath) if he does not stop,'' a furious Akhilesh warned.

''This CM does not speak like a yogi....he speaks and understands a different language,'' he went on to add.

Mulayam's brother Shivpal Singh Yadav also criticised Adityanath for his remarks.

UP minister Siddharth Nath Singh said on Sunday that there was nothing wrong in using the word 'abbajan'. ''Why is Akhilesh averse to the Urdu language?'' he asked.