‘Akhilesh, Mayawati’s base eroding’: BJP terms SP-BSP promises on Lord Parshuram as ‘new gimmick’ to attract voters

Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma said that the SP and BSP thrive on caste politics and the Congress, at times has been playing a supportive role.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at the opposition parties and accused them of indulging in politics over Lord Parshuram. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma said those who disrespected Brahmins earlier are now trying to gain their favour through “idol politics”.

READ MORE: Politics peaks over Lord Parshuram in UP, Congress demands holiday on his Jayanti

Sharma accused the Samajwadi Party and BSP of playing caste cards to woo the voters ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections in the state as he referred to their promises to build idols of Lord Parshuram as they eye Brahmin voters who make up around 12% of the electorate.

“People cannot be misguided by such promises as they have not yet forgotten the slogan– ‘Tilak, Tarazu Aur Talwar, Inko Maaro Joote Char’ (reject Brahmins, Vaishyas, Thakurs/Jaats etc) which was coined by the BSP,” he told reporters in Mathura.

He said that the maximum number of images of Parshuram were damaged during the Samajwadi Party regime. “Four idols of Parashuram were broken in Ferozabad under the Akhilesh Yadav regime in the state,” he alleged.

“If those who used to break idols are now talking about installing them, they know which community is supporting which party,” he said while referring to Brahmins who are seen as traditional voters of the BJP.

He said that the fact is that these parties have realised that their base is eroding and “are using new gimmicks to attract voters”.

“People have rejected them several times since they are aware of their real face,” Sharma added.

BSP chief Mayawati had on Sunday promised to build a statue and hospitals in the name of Parshuram if voted to power in the 2022 Assembly polls. Her promise came days after the Samajwadi Party said that it will build statues of Parshuram in the state if it forms the government in 2022. The Congress has now demanded from the Yogi Adityanath government to declare Parshuram Jayanti as a state holiday.

“The SP and BSP thrive on caste politics and the Congress, at times has been playing a supportive role,” the deputy CM said.

The promises made by the opposition parties on building infrastructure and statues of Lord Parshuram is aimed at wooing the Brahmin voters who are said to be unhappy with the Yogi Adityanath government after gangster Vikas Dubey’s encounter.