It has been proved only SP can defeat BJP in UP: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yav on Wednesday said though recent poll results have not been favourable for m, it has been proved that only his party can defeat ruling BJP in Uttar Presh.

He said SP worked hard to win Uttar Presh Assembly polls held earlier in year but "those in power used every trick, misused official machinery and we did not succeed".

former Uttar Presh chief minister also said samajwis h taken a historic decision in run-up to 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"We tried to realise dream of Ram Manohar Lohia and B R Ambedkar of bringing Bahujan forces on one platform, but those in power misused official machinery and we failed," Yav said after inaugurating ninth state-level convention of his party here.

"Though election results for alliance between samajwis and bahujanwis have not been favourable, it has been proved that only our party can defeat BJP in Uttar Presh," he asserted.

Yav said SP h formed an alliance for Assembly polls in an attempt to bring all those struggling to remove BJP from power toger.

"I can say one thing that despite experiments of 2019 and 2022, manner in which our leers and workers worked, samajwis have come to know that despite not getting success, if re is anyone who can compete with and defeat BJP, it is us," Yav said.

SP contested 2019 Lok Sabha election in an alliance with "arch rival" Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), but managed to win only 15 seats (five to SP, 10 to BSP).

Soon after, parties parted ways, with BSP president Mayawati continuously attacking SP and its chief on various issues.

For Assembly polls, SP forged an alliance with smaller parties but failed to stop march of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Ahe of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, political circles are abuzz about chances of unity among opposition parties on initiative of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Kumar also met Yav recently.

Janata Dal (United) chief, who dumped BJP in Bihar to join hands with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Left parties to form government, has emerged as new hope of Opposition to stop saffron party from coming to power at Centre for third time in a row in 2024.

In Uttar Presh polls held in February-March, SP failed to stop BJP from coming back to power in state for a second consecutive time, a feat repeated in politically significant state after more than three deces.

With Congress and BSP decimated in election, SP, which won 111 seats in 403-member Assembly, me it clear that next round of poll battle in state would be between it and saffron party.

At convention, Naresh Uttam Patel was elected as state president of SP for second time in a row.

Announcing his election unopposed, election officer Ram Gopal Yav said names of state executive members of party will be announced by its president.

SP's move is being seen as an attempt to consolidate numerically-significant backward class voters to rally behind party.

national president of SP will be elected at convention on Thursday. re is a strong possibility that Akhilesh Yav will be re-elected to post.

Congratulating Patel, Yav said, "We will face challenges that come up toger." Patel hails from OBC Kurmi caste, which has a sizable presence in many parts of most populous state in country, particularly in Bundelkhand.

"All of us will work toger to take socialist movement forward. This is a big struggle. We will work toger to remove those from power who are bent upon dividing society," he said.

Yav alleged that BJP has failed on all fronts and said whenever his party got a chance to rule state, it worked for betterment of people.

former Uttar Presh chief minister claimed that no work was done in state after days of SP government. poor are not getting treatment today as re are no facilities at hospitals of Uttar Presh, he said.

"I think this government deliberately wants to destroy our public health system so that it can also be given to private players. way many institutions have gone into private hands, this government wants that health services should also go into private hands same way," he said.

Yav said government has failed to create jobs and alleged that it deliberately wants to leave "Bahujan samaj" behind by tampering with rights that have been given to m by Constitution.

Political and economic resolutions were also passed at conference.