Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday claimed that several BJP MLAs have approached him seeking tickets for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. However, he said he cannot adjust them all and doesn’t want to make any promises he might not be able to keep.The statement came just days ahead of Rajya Sabha polls where sitting MLAs comprise the electoral college.Akhilesh was addressing a news conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow on Wednesday when he was asked about claims of SP functionaries that over 100 BJP MLAs were in touch with their party leadership looking for a switchover.“There are many people who are in contact. But how do we adjust them? We do not want to make a promise and then go back on it,” Akhilesh said.Responding to a query on Rajya Sabha polls, the SP chief said the democratic system requires lawmakers to elect members of the Upper House of Parliament. He said there should not be any scope for dishonesty in a democratic set-up.“Had the BJP not indulged in dishonesty, the SP would have had three Rajya Sabha MPs,” he said, referring to the Feb 2024 Rajya Sabha polls in which SP candidate Alok Ranjan lost due to cross-voting in the party.On recent statements of former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh praising his politics, Akhilesh said relations between them were very good. He said it was for Brij Bhushan to decide if he wants to wear the green scarf or the saffron one.‘Donation theft can’t lead to $1 trillion economy’The SP chief cornered BJP govt once again on the issue of Ram Temple donation theft. He said donation thefts cannot lead the state to a $1 trillion economy, and a robust economic policy was needed to achieve the goal. Akhilesh said the target of making Uttar Pradesh a USD 1 trillion economy cannot be achieved through corruption.
