UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak hit back at SP leaders for their remarks on Sanatan culture. Meanwhile, Congress's Imran Masood ruled out an alliance with AIMIM, stressing the need to fight both forms of communalism and calling for opposition unity.
SP Will Pay Price for Targeting Sanatan Culture: Pathak
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Tuesday hit back at Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan over his reported remarks that the "majority of society has become toxic," alleging that SP leaders had repeatedly targeted Sanatan culture.
Speaking to ANI, Pathak said the remarks made by Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders were contrary to India's traditions and culture. "The words coming from the mouths of SP leaders are completely contrary to India's culture and traditions. They have reached the climax of all the abuses they could hurl at Sanatan culture. In the coming days, SP will have to pay the price for this," Pathak said.
Pathak further alleged, "These people have always peddled poison; they have no vocabulary."
Congress on Alliances and Opposition Unity
No Alliance with AIMIM
Meanwhile, with the Uttar Pradesh elections due in February next year, Congress leader Imran Masood on Tuesday dismissed the possibility of an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, saying that it was necessary to fight both kinds of "communalisms". "If we have to fight with communalism, then we will have to fight with both the communalisms. It cannot happen that you abuse one communalism and join hands with the other. We will have to fight with both," Masood told ANI.
Calls for Opposition Unity
On the other hand, he emphasised the need for unity among opposition parties. He said that it was "time to fight unitedly", especially after the election results in West Bengal.
Amid efforts to identify seats and seal the deal on seat-sharing between Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), both INDIA bloc constituents, Masood said such decisions are made during an open dialogue.
Uttar Pradesh Political Landscape
Uttar Pradesh will hold the next Assembly elections in 2027 with a major contest expected between the two most prominent parties, i.e., Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party.
In the current session, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 elected members, 258 of whom are from the Bhartiya Janata Party, 107 from the Samajwadi Party, and 13 from the Apna Dal. In addition, Rastriya Lok Dal has nine; the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has six; the Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal has five; Jansatta Dal Loktantrik and Congress have two; and the Bahujan Samaj Party has only one representative. (ANI)
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