Amid political turmoil in Bihar with the future of JD (U)-RJD coalition government at stake, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav claimed that Chief Minister and JD (U) chief Nitish Kumar is with the INDIA bloc and is not going anywhere.

On West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections alone in West Bengal, he said the Congress being a bigger party should pacify her by showing a big heart.

Yadav, who launched the PDA panchayat campaign from Fakirepurwa village of the Tirwa tehsil on the occasion of the Republic Day, communicated to the villagers directly by sitting on a cot.

He said the panchayat would be organised by a party’s sector in-charge at each booth in the state.

While interacting with the media, he described the INDIA bloc as strong scotching the rumour about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar switching his loyalty to the BJP-led NDA.

The former chief minister said Nitish was not going anywhere but would remain with INDIA.

On Mamata Banerjee’s announcement to go it alone in West Bengal, he said the Congress, being a big party, should show big heart to persuade her. Emphasising that the INDIA is strong, he said seats would be distributed on the basis of victory assessment.

After coming face-to-face with the people deprived of government schemes, he said that they are being discriminated against. People are being deceived by free ration and enchanting speeches. He found potholes on the road and was told about frequent power cuts.

The SP president claimed that the government has completely failed on every front, be it jobs, employment, inflation, and is now hiding behind religion. “Religion is being used to avoid public issues. Backwards and Dalits are being ignored. Minorities are being meted out injustice. That is why PDA i.e. backward, Dalit and minorities have decided that this time they should teach a lesson to the BJP,” he said.

Addressing the youth, he said the Agniveer scheme is a fraud. BJP people conducted a survey and found that more youths from poor, backward and Dalit communities are joining the Army. “The Agniveer Yojana was brought to lure backwards and Dalits with a promise to bring prosperity to their homes to keep them away from government jobs. Hence, on the Republic Day, the Samajwadi Party has resolved to raise its voice against this injustice and get this scheme abolished so that there could be prosperity in the villages,” he said.