New Delhi: Telangana BJP MLA T. Raja Singh has said that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh will identify areas where people are voting against the BJP in large numbers in the ongoing state elections and will bulldoze them once the party returns to power.
He has claimed that those who do not want Adityanath to be re-elected came out in large numbers to vote in western Uttar Pradesh, pointing to higher voter turnout in the second phase of polling held in the state on Monday, February 14. In the 55 seats that voted in the second phase, the voter turnout stood at 63% compared to 60.17% recorded in the first phase where polling was held on February 10 in 55 seats.
Hon’ble Prime Minister- any snide remarks about your MLA at your next rally? EC to take notice? pic.twitter.com/jTbTns4deg
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 16, 2022
He released a video on his official Facebook page on the day when Uttar Pradesh voted in the second phase.
He has appealed to “Hindu brothers and sisters” to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the remaining five phases to counter what he obliquely referred to as the conspiracy of “traitors” to vote Adityanath out of power in the state.
“Thousands of bulldozers and JCBs have been bought by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and they are on their way. After the elections, those who voted against Yogiji – their areas will be identified. and I am sure you know what JCBs and bulldozers are used for. I want to inform those traitors of UP who don’t want Yogi Adityanath to be elected as CM again that if you want to stay in UP, you will have to chant Yogi-Yogi. If not, you will have to run away from the state,” he threatened.
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In the ongoing elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP, which is facing high levels of anti-incumbency, is pitted against the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, which have been raising issues of social justice.
In western Uttar Pradesh particularly, the coming together of Jats and Muslims due to successful farmers’ protest has spelt trouble for the BJP, which hitherto capitalised on the visible polarisation witnessed between the two communities.
Consequently, the BJP has ramped up communal rhetoric expecting electoral headwinds in the state, with no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly calling for “Hindu consolidation”. Many leaders at state-level and lower-rung BJP leadership see this as a subtle cue from the party’s high command to rouse communal passions.
As for Raja Singh, he is not new to making hate speeches and divisive comments. He is the lone BJP MLA from Telangana, representing the Goshamahal assembly constituency in Hyderabad.