Lucknow, March 11: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that his party along with the INDIA bloc will register the first victory in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "The Samajwadi Party was the first to announce its seats and start the campaign. You will see that the first victory will be that of the Samajwadi Party and the INDIA bloc...We were the first to form an alliance, distribute seats, release campaign song...," Akhilesh Yadav said speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with state Congress President Ajay Rai on Monday.

Yadav pointed out that the integrated terminal 3 (T3) of the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was built when the Samajwadi party was in power in Uttar Pradesh. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress to Contest on 11 Seats in Uttar Pradesh, Announces Akhilesh Yadav.

"The airport and runway that was inaugurated were built when the Samajwadi party was in power in the state. It was built during Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and was expanded during the time of the last Samajwadi Party government, whether it is Azamgar or Moradabad. Even the Lucknow airport was constructed when our government was in power," the Samajwadi Party chief said.

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Yadav said that the upcoming Lok Sabha election will be fought to save the Constitution and democracy. "The slogan Sabka Satha Sabka Vikas is the biggest lie. Where is everyone prospering? This election is on saving the Constitution, democracy, the idea of Dr Ram Manihar Lohia's socialist society and to save the rights and respect of the farmers, poor and those are from minority," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Mamata Banerjee, Bhagwant Mann Deal Double Blow to INDIA Bloc, Say No Alliance in West Bengal, Punjab for General Polls.

In response to the BJP claiming that the candidates fielded by their party belong to the "actual PDA", Yadav took a dig saying it is good that the BJP has at least started to speak on PDA. "It is good that they have started speaking on the PDA. Those in BJP are fake PDA. How many Vice Chancellors who were appointed were from PDA? How many district officials posted are from PDA? How many directors of this University (Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University) are from PDA? The Bharatiya Janata Party is only concerned about taking the votes of PDA but not giving them their rights and respect," Yadav said.

The Samajwadi Party and the Congress will contest the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with the Congress contesting 17 seats while the SP will contest 63 seats.

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