In an exclusive interview with News18 on Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for accusing the Narendra Modi-led central government of bringing Pakistan and China closer with its Kashmir policies.

Speaking to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at the Gorakhpur Temple hours after filing nomination for Uttar Pradesh elections 2022, Yogi Adityanath said Opposition parties were known to "place vote bank politics above national security".

"Rahul Gandhi 's comments on Kashmir in Parliament have to be condemned. He is speaking Pakistan's language for vote bank politics. They are playing with national security, only vote bank is important for them," the Uttar Pradesh CM said.

Yogi Adityanath also hit out at the Samajwadi Party and the BSP along with the Congress, saying all three parties wanted the return of "riots and goonda raj" in UP. He said the SP had become synonymous with "parivarvad" (dynasty politics) and "dangawad" (riots).

"We talk about nationalism, they talk about castes. We talk development but they talk only about the family. Their name is Samajwadi, but their thinking is parivarwadi and dangawadi," he said. "No one will forgive the SP for Kairana exodus. No one will forgive the SP for firing on Lord Ram devotees."

Yogi Adityanath also accused the opposition parties of giving election tickets to people with alleged criminal pasts. "Criminals were hiding in their hideouts for 4.5 years. They are rearing their heads again after some parties promised and gave them tickets. They have threatened traders and farmers. Which is why I said, March 10 ko sabki garmi thandi ho jayegi (They will be set straight on March 10)."

Also Read: Yogi Adityanath's Exclusive Interview Highlights: UP has shown immense faith in PM Modi; BJP will get more than 300 seats, says CM

During the interview, Yogi Adityanath also dismissed any electoral impact of more than 10 OBC MLAs leaving the BJP last month following then minister Swami Prasad Maurya's walkout to the Samajwadi Party.

"Many people from other parties have also joined the BJP. People coming to join the BJP are not lured by tickets. Those leaving the BJP are standing with parivarwad," he said.

Commenting on the speculation over Congress general secretary and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contesting her maiden election, Yogi Adityanath said: "Everyone has the right to contest elections, but it is matter of consideration as to how many people are seen supporting her. The Congress' fate will be sealed on March 10."

Yogi Adityanath filed his nomination from Gorakhpur Assembly seat, his home turf, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday. This is the first time that Adityanath, a five-time former Lok Sabha MP, is contesting the state Assembly elections as a candidate.

Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7, and the counting of votes will be held on March 10.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has a total of 403 seats, with 202 being the majority mark. These 403 constituencies are distributed across seven broad regions - West UP (44 constituencies), Ruhelkhand (52), Doab (73), Awadh (78), Bundelkhand (19), East UP (76) and North East UP (61).

The BJP has set the target of 300-plus seats this time as well. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP had swept to power with 312 seats, while the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party managed 47. Mayawati's BSP had to contend with 19 seats and the Congress was relegated to the fourth spot in the politically significant state with just seven seats. The tenure of the current UP Assembly ends on May 14, 2022.

First Published:Feb 4, 2022 11:04 PM IST