Lucknow, Sep 17 (PTI) Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the BJP over the condition of expressways on Thursday, saying under the saffron party’s rule, “the construction of a project is completed later, it starts collapsing first”.
Addressing reporters at the SP headquarters here, Yadav said the Bundelkhand Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but its maintenance work is still continuing.
“The expressway was inaugurated by the country’s prime minister. Soon after the inauguration, the road started breaking. Those who have travelled on that expressway would know that the maintenance and construction work is still continuing,” he said.
Yadav also claimed that motorists on the Purvanchal Expressway could face serious difficulties if they drove at high speed.
“If they pick up even a little speed, they will either have to go to a hospital or get their backs treated,” he said.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also criticised the Gorakhpur Link Expressway, claiming that the project has not been completed and that construction work is still continuing. He also claimed that it is a four-lane expressway rather than a six-lane one.
Yadav further claimed that concrete had recently fallen from an RCC bridge, exposing reinforcement bars, and questioned whether there was a problem with the cement, sand or construction work.
The SP chief also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Ganga Expressway, alleging that several portions of the road have been damaged and that construction has to be undertaken at many places again.
“After the rains, it was not an expressway but a water expressway,” he said, alleging that carpets were brought in to cover potholes.
“Under the BJP government, the construction of a project is completed later, but it starts collapsing first,” Yadav said.
He accused the BJP government of indulging in large-scale corruption and alleged that public assets are being sold to increase profits.
He also alleged that efforts are being made to ensure that the profits reach certain people, saying, “It seems that something is going on between Lucknow and Delhi over who gets the maximum profit and whose hands the profit reaches.” On employment, Yadav said the BJP-led Centre had promised one lakh jobs every month but claimed that there were no new jobs in July and August and that September would also see no recruitment.
“How many jobs were given in July? Zero. In August? Zero. And in September? Zero,” he said.
Referring to ITI students and other youngsters, Yadav assured them that an SP government would open avenues for jobs and employment in Uttar Pradesh.
He also questioned the state’s tree-plantation figures that claim that around 200 crore trees have so far been planted in the last nine years under the BJP government.
Yadav said during the SP’s rule in Uttar Pradesh, around 1.34 lakh trees were planted on 1,000 acres, according to the figures he had presented in the Assembly.
“If the government says around 200 crore trees have been planted, calculate how many thousands of acres would have been required for this. Where is that land? Tell us,” the former chief minister said.
Former Uttar Pradesh minister Ramashray Kushwaha rejoined the SP in the presence of Yadav at the party headquarters here on Thursday. Kushwaha, who had joined the BJP after leaving the SP around 13 years ago, took a pledge to work for Yadav’s return as the chief minister.
Welcoming Kushwaha into the party, Yadav said his return would strengthen the SP and further bolster the PDA (backward classes, Dalits and minorities), besides helping establish a government committed to social justice.
Kushwaha, a former SP national general secretary and close associate of its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, appealed to party workers to resolve that they would not rest until Akhilesh Yadav becomes the chief minister again.
Several leaders from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Nishad Party also joined the SP, according to party leaders.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are due next year. PTI CDN RC
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