Ahead of the sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Monday appealed to the people of the state to defeat BJP to get rid of inflation, warning them that "the rates of petrol and diesel will skyrocket soon after Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections".
Seeking votes for Congress candidate Jitendra Pandey contesting from 326 Chauri Chaura Assembly Constituency in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Baghel also urged a public gathering to press the button in favour of the party candidate on voting day on March 3, and assured many welfare schemes announced by the party for them.
Noting that there were by-elections in one Lok Sabha and three Legislative Assemblies in Himachal Pradesh, Baghel said, "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost all four seats as the polls were held in the name of inflation and unemployment".
Baghel further said it resulted in a "sudden decrease in the price of petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs 2 on the second day of the result declaration".
"BJP has to be defeated to get rid of inflation," Baghel said while addressing the gathering at Majithia Stadium in the Sardar Nagar area under the Chauri Chaura Assembly constituency.
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said the rates of petrol and diesel are not increasing for the last two months since the beginning of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, and warned: "The rates of diesel and petrol will skyrocket after the elections are over."
He further said that the prices of petrol and diesel will then touch Rs 150 per litre.
Reiterating that "BJP has to be defeated to curb inflation", Baghel shouted the slogan "mehengai hatao, bhajpa harao (erase inflation, defeat BJP)."
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing that they are not aware of problems being faced by farmers in Uttar Pradesh due to stray animals.
"Farmers of Uttar Pradesh are troubled by the stray animals. Farmers are saving their crops by waking up in the freezing cold. These stray animals are the gift of Yogi. Five years ago, the workers of Hindu Vahini and Bajrangdal used to beat those who wanted to buy such animals," Baghel said.
The Congress leader said the maximum number of stray animals are found in Uttar Pradesh, and "the problem is created by Yogi ji."
"Government is formed to solve the problem, this government itself has created the problem. Maximum 17 per cent of stray animals are found in Uttar Pradesh," said Baghel.
Baghel's comments came as all the parties are engaged in campaigning for their candidates and the sixth phase of the UP Assembly elections is scheduled on March 3.
Ten districts comprising Gorakhpur, Ambedkarnagar, Ballia, Balrampur, Basti, Deoria, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Sant Kabir Nagar and Siddharthnagar are going to poll in the sixth phase on March 3.
A total of 2,14,62,816 electorate -- 1,14,63,113 males, 99,98,383 females and 1,320 third genders -- are expected to exercise their right to franchise to seal the fate of 676 candidates in 57 seats of which 11 are reserved for Scheduled Caste.
In the 2017 Assembly polls, BJP won 46 seats and two by its allies Apna Dal and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). However, this time the SP has stitched an alliance with the SBSP.
Of the 57 seats, 37 are under red alert (polling areas where more than three candidates have criminal cases registered against them).
( With inputs from ANI )
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