BJP will withdraw farm laws for election gains: Akhilesh Yadav

Citing the upcoming Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav raised a concern that the incumbent BJP government would withdraw the farm laws before elections to placate people before implementing them again when the elections were over.

"There is a possibility, I am telling you today. Keeping in mind the elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the three farm laws may be recalled and implemented again in a new form after the elections," Akhilesh told reporters in an informal interaction in Lucknow. The BJP had already committed to corporates who were building the infrastructure and silos to take advantage of the laws, he alleged.

Yadav also targeted the recent inauguration of an airport in Khushinagar was only a form of optics by the government and that the Center was busy selling everything in order to extract profits. Once the airport was taken over by a private entity then benefits like reservation would not be given, he added. In another press conference the day before the Samajwadi chief said that the BJP was turning a blind eye to rising inflation and farmer woes about crop prices.

"Don't be misled by the gala inauguration of the Kushinagar airport recently. For the BJP leaders it was like visiting a property that a common man plans to sell," he said, adding that the Kushinagar airport project was conceptualised by his government and Rs 260 crore was allocated in the Budget for its construction. But the BJP was using his efforts to gain credit for themselves he claimed.