TARGETING PARTY’S former state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Congress UP chief Raj Babbar on Monday claimed she “ran from home because of Aparna Yadav”. He was campaigning for SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, who is contesting against Joshi — now a BJP nominee — from Lucknow’s Cantonment constituency. Seeking votes for Aparna, Babbar said that one of their (Congress) leaders ran from home because of Aparna. “Kya nahi diya unko… Party workers had raised slogans in the favour of this leader in the last (2014) elections but without thinking much about them, she left…” he said, while assuring the crowd that “all these Congress workers and leaders would now stand with Aparna”.
Targeting BJP and RSS, Babbar said: “Khakhi rang ki half pant wale would also run from the seat and would never turn back after Aparna wins the election.”
Taking on BJP, Aparna alleged anomalies in cleaning of river Ganga project by the Centre. “Jo Ganga maiya ka na hua who aapka mera kya hoga,” she told the gathering.
Aparna, who is contesting the polls for the first time, said that while Congress had raised the slogan of ‘27 saal UP Behal’ in the past, but after entering into an alliance with the SP, both parties have promised to bring about a change through development. Sources said Mulayam would campaign for Aparna on February 15.(IE)
