‘Mathadish baatenge aur kaatenge’: SP leader's poster creates fresh flutter in UP

Lucknow, Nov 3 (IANS) While Uttar Pradesh remains abuzz with large posters and hoardings, in the run-up to Assembly by-elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) stirred a fresh flutter in political circles on Sunday with one of its leaders, taking shot at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath through a billboard. 

The hateful message inscribed on hread - ‘Mathadish baatenge aur kaatenge’, purportedly directed at the UP CM. Over past few days, both BJP and SP have increasingly deployed the posters and hoardings to influence and lure the voters in their camp but this one seems to have taken a step far ahead.

SP hoardings read, "Mathadish baatenge aur kaatenge... PDA jodegi aur jitegi."

The latest hoarding, bearing Akhilesh Yadav's image, was installed by SP leader Amit Chaubey outside the party office and comes in response to UP CM Yogi Adityanath's slogan, "Batenge to Katenge," aimed at emphasising Hindu unity.

Chaubey, contesting elections from the Pharenda seat in Maharajganj district, said, "The Chief Minister does not speak about development, women's rights, safety, law and order, or youth's future but he talks about dividing and cutting."

He further questioned the use of "divisive" rhetoric by BJP in the by-polls campaign and said, "The Chief Minister is a Mathadhish (head of a monastery). How can he use such divisive language? We condemn it."

Chaubey highlighted SP's inclusive focus, claiming, "Akhilesh Yadav has always worked for everyone -- Dalits, backward classes, tribals, women, farmers, and youth. While the Samajwadi Party speaks of development, the BJP Chief Minister speaks only of destruction."

The SP leader elaborated on the PDA concept, claiming it would unite all communities, including Brahmins, backward classes, Dalits, and minorities, under a common goal of development.

Notably, this is not the first time such posters have appeared in Lucknow. A recent SP hoarding read, "Na katenge, na batenge... PDA ke saath rahenge."

Another viral poster described Akhilesh Yadav as the "ruler of 27," with his photo and the tagline "27 ka sattadheesh," put up by SP leader Jairam Pandey from Sant Kabir Nagar.