Anti Congress

The party will hold its parliamentary board meeting tomorrow and then will stake claim to form the government under the leadership of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Signalling a shift from the politics of vendetta,state president of SP and MP Akhilesh Yadav,who played a key role in re-defining public perceptions about the party,said that Mayawati’s statues would not be demolished. “I categorically state that these statues will not be demolished,” he said after the results came in. “Even Netaji (his father,Mulayam Singh Yadav) has announced this during the election campaign. There is ample space in these memorials which can be put to better use,say a hospital.”

Expressing his gratitude to voters for the overwhelming support,Akhilesh said that the people of UP rose above religion and caste lines.

Regarding the stigma of poor law and order during the SP regime,he reiterated that there will be the rule of law in the state. “We will not allow any goondagardi. No mafiagiri will be tolerated,” he said.

Asked about Rahul Gandhi’s campaign,Akhilesh said: “We have also lost and this time we won. It happens in politics. There is no comparison between us. I never compared myself with Rahul. It was all media imagination. If two people are contesting,one has to come second.”

He admitted that the youth played a major role in SP’s victory. “They were the mainstay of our campaign. For example,Abhishek Mishra,who has won from Lucknow North,resigned from his job in IIM Ahmedabad,” he said. The importance of young leaders was evident as Akhilesh was flanked by many including Sunil Yadav,Anand Bhadauria,Nafees Ahmed and Naved Siddiqui.

He also said that Muslims would get a “fair deal” in his government. “Everything has been clearly spelt out in our manifesto and we will fulfil our promises. Muslims will be given their due share.”