Prayagraj: Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party, claiming that it was headed for a “crushing defeat” in the 2027 Assembly elections and asserted that the party would face the same fate as the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.Addressing party workers and office-bearers during his two-day visit to Prayagraj, Maurya said the BJP must focus on winning all 12 Assembly seats in the district in 2027, surpassing its 2017 performance.“BJP would win 80 out of every 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Party workers must intensify booth-level efforts,” he said.Maurya also exuded confidence about the BJP’s prospects in Bundelkhand, claiming the party would win all 19 seats in the region and that the opposition would struggle to even retain its deposits there.He attributed the BJP’s electoral strength to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the work of party cadre.“Modi became the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in independent India because of public support and the dedication of BJP workers,” he said.Referring to International Yoga Day, Maurya urged people to take time out for their health and said the global celebration of yoga in nearly 200 countries was a matter of pride for India, made possible under Modi’s leadership.Responding to the Samajwadi Party chief’s remark that BJP MLAs were ready to defect, Maurya said Akhilesh Yadav should “wait for the right time”.On Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar’s statement that several opposition MLAs were in touch with him, Maurya said such claims had no substance.During the visit, he also met several prominent residents, including journalists, lawyers and sportspersons, as part of a special outreach campaign before addressing party functionaries in Phaphamau.
