INDIA bloc, a coalition of opportunists: UP BJP president

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) BJP's Uttar Pradesh President Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary on Friday dubbed the INDIA bloc as a 'coalition of opportunists' and accused them of instigating chaos and disturbance in the state.

"This is a coalition of opportunists, who bring uncertainty and chaos to the state. If you look at their history over the past ten years, in 2017, they were with one party, in 2022 with another, and in 2019 with yet another," said BJP UP chief.

The BJP leader exuded confidence over upcoming by-elections and remarked that Yogi government is working for the development of state without any discrimination,

"I am confident that we will win all ten seats in the upcoming by-elections," he asserted.

"Our party is fully prepared from an organisational perspective. We have made all necessary preparations at both mandal, and booth levels and we are also focused on all these ten assembly seats."

The BJP leader further claimed that the Samajwadi Party and Congress are desperate and demoralized and they are trying—both directly and indirectly—to prevent the by-elections in Milkipur.

"I urge the Samajwadi Party to join us in demanding from the Election Commission that a by-election be held in Milkipur as well," he said while accusing the SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav of doublespeak."

"He posts on social media, but as you saw yesterday, the advocates of SP MP Awadhesh Prasad, along with party’s Advocates' Association, opposed the withdrawal of a petition in court. This highlights their double standards and shows that they have already accepted their defeat," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, former BJP MLA Baba Gorakhnath decided to withdraw his petition in the high court against SP MP Awadhesh Prasad so that by-polls could be held in Milkipur assembly constituency.

The BJP UP chief further lambasted the SP for its anti-development politics.

Commenting on the recent violence in Bahraich, the BJP leader stated, "Our government follows a zero-tolerance policy toward crime and criminals. Whether it’s the Bahraich incident or any other crime in the state, our government takes strict action against all criminals involved in illegal activities."