Zeenews Bureau
Firozabad: Clearly upset with Rahul Gandhi’s aggressive campaigning in Uttar Pradesh and the shocking defeat of his wife in the by-polls, Samajwadi Party’s heir apparent Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that the verdict was against him and he is now ready for the challenge being thrown at him.
"If someone throws challenges at me, I accept it," said a miffed Akhilesh as he pitched himself as a national leader.
"Till now, the SP-Congress battle was limited to seniors. But it is the first time that Rahul came here, and campaigned against us. It is the beginning of a Rahul vs Akhilesh contest," the young Yadav declared.
He also made it a point to congratulate Rahul Gandhi but was very clear that battle lines have been drawn loud & clear. Akhilesh said Uttar Pradesh would now witness a battle between secular forces, represented by him, and the Congress.
Taking a dig at Congress’ ‘Yuvraj’ Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh said, “One cannot understand the problem of the Dalits or poor people by spending a single night in their house.”
“It’s like taking advantage of their poverty,” he quipped.
Speaking at a press conference here, Akhilesh added his party lost because it was unable to transfer its support base to actual votes. “I was incapable of convincing my supporters to vote. The verdict is against me and we will definitely take steps to regain our lost vote bank,” he said.
Hitting out at Congress the young SP leader said the national party has stooped low to grab votes. The Congress government which has been in power for so long has failed to control the price rise, unemployment, Naxalism, he added.
Assuring people of his party’s revival the SP president said, “We will go village to village and interact with people and solve their problems.”
Akhilesh’s wife & SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav, who contested from the Firozabad seat, said “I respect people’s verdict and we are confident of making a come back in the next elections.”
When asked about her future prospects in politics she only said that it’s for the party chief to decide.
Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar defeated Dimple by a margin of 85,343 votes in the by-election to the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat.
Dimple's husband Akhilesh Yadav had won the seat during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, but had vacated it in favour of Kannauj, which he had also successfully contested.
First Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 17:54