No common candidates against Modi, Rajnath: Akhilesh

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has ruled out the possibility of fielding joint candidates, supported by all “secular parties,” against the BJP ’s Narendra Modi in Varanasi and Rajnath Singh in Lucknow. “The Samajwadi Party will field its candidate in Varanasi,” he said.

Talking to journalists here, he said that barring Rae Bareli and Amethi, the SP was contesting in all the constituencies in U.P. The party was fielding Kailash Chaurasia from Varanasi.Claiming that the Samajwadi Party was the “biggest secular party,” he appealed to all secular-minded people to support its candidate in Varanasi. “The SP will not ask other parties for support in Varanasi,” Mr. Yadav said. He said earlier the BJP used to talk about the Gujarat development model, but when it “came to U.P, it adopted the communal path.” Without mentioning the “Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi” controversy, the SP’s Uttar Pradesh unit president ridiculed the BJP for backtracking on its slogan. Mr. Yadav alleged that the BJP used religion for political gains.