'Akhilesh Yadav's image won't impact BJP in UP'

New Delhi: Notwithstanding the impression that UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has gained an image after the family power struggle, a top BJP leader on Tuesday said it will have no impact on chances of his party in its"direct fight" either against SP or BSP in most of the state's 403 Assembly seats.

"Akhilesh' image is good among our (BJP) voters but they are never going to vote for him.... Whatever is happening in his family has diverted the media's attention from main poll issues but for the masses, issues like land grab and poor law and order under his government remain important," he told reporters in an informal interaction.

A day after the party held a massive show of strength at its 'Parivartan Rally' in Lucknow, he said there is an atmosphere in BJP's favour in the state as "prestige of the Modi government is very high" following demonetisation and surgical strikes.

The BJP has a common presence in almost 90 percent of the total assembly seats, he claimed, with either SP or BSP being its main rivals. There will be fewer than 50 seats where the fight is between SP and BSP, he argued.

While he reiterated his party's position that SP is its main challenger to power, he termed Mayawati-led BSP as a "waning" force which will slowly fade away.

"BSP was an ideological movement which ended with Kanshi Ram. It takes 10 years or so for such movement to fade away," he claimed.

Asked if an alliance of SP and Congress will see a consolidation of votes, especially Muslims, against BJP, he played down such a contention arguing that things are different on the ground.

He noted that BSP is fielding over 135 Muslims and it will have a bearing on how the community votes.

He said caste barriers are "breaking away" in UP, which has often seen voting along these lines, in favour of BJP.