Akhilesh to attend Lalu's rally in Patna on Aug 27

Lucknow, Aug 10  : Announcing that he will attend the Mahagathbandan rally to be organised by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad in Patna on August 27, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav today said the BJP was afraid in contesting elections in the state and hence were alluring the SP MLCs to resign so that their Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ministers can enter the legislature without any contest. "BJP which got landslide victory in the UP polls, strangely are afraid in going before the people within four months. Besides, not a single BJP MLA are ready to give up their seats for the CM or other leaders," he questioned. Talking to reporters here, Mr Yadav denying any move by the opposition in UP for unity against the BJP, said, "We will decide when time comes." But he said he would attend the Maha Gathbandan rally in Patna on August 27. Mr Yadav, however, refused to make any comment whether the two Lok Sabha by-elections scheduled to happen after the resignation of Mr Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya would see an opposition unity. "You have to wait for our response." But the SP president was critical on part of the MLCs who have resigned and joined the BJP though making a veiled attack on his father and party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav. "The MLCs resigning and joining the BJP are saying that they were forced to take such decision as I am insulting Mulayam Singh Yadav. But does this action of the MLCs do not prove that who is closer to the BJP," he questioned. When his attention was drawn on the removal of four of his confidants from the Lohia Trust by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav recently, he tried to avoid any controversy saying, "Let such love continue in the family and party. "I was even termed as Aurangzeb by media during the dispute within the party. But now I am cautious and don't want to enter in another controversy. But people have to think if I would have been Aurangzeb, then what had happened." The former Chief Minister was, however, peeved over the act of the Yogi Adityanath government for taking away three vehicles each from the security fleet of his and Mulayam Singh Yadav. "Strangely, I was given old ambassador cars, which were used in the Mayawati's security and had run 3 lakh kilometers and our new vehicles were given to the BSP president. Now it is up to you to assess what is the politics behind it," he said. When his attention was drawn upon the Haryana incident when BJP state president son chased a woman on a car, he said BJP should not wait and act against the leader to create an example. Commenting on crossing the Barabanki toll plaza yesterday while returning from Faizabad without giving fee by 150 vehicles of the party, he said, "I am ready to apologise and pay all the fee but NHAI should show me the CCTV footage of my illegal acts first." UNI