UP agro minister states SP-BSP-RLD alliance as 'unnatural'

UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Sunday termed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance as "unnatural" and born out of the Opposition's "fear psychosis" against the BJP-led NDA governments' development-oriented politics. The Opposition is also scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi' ever-growing popularity, he claimed.

"The gathbandhan (alliance) of SP, BSP and RLD is an unnatural alliance. They do not have any similarity in terms of netas (leaders) and niti (policy)," said Shahi, elaborating how SP and the BSP had been fighting each other for the last 15 years. "This alliance is a result of the fear psychosis created by performance of the BJP-led NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and his ever-growing popularity," the minister told PTI here.

"The alliance partners had indulged in various acts of corruption and the people of the state will never accept them," he added. "That's why they do not want a majboot (strong) government, they want a majboor (weak) one."

Asked about the possible impact Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would make on her party's electoral prospects in the eastern Uttar Pradesh, the senior UP minister claimed she will make no impact at all. "There will be no impact of Priyanka Gandhi in eastern UP. It (Congress) is out of the poll platform," he said.

Shahi said, "PM Modi has worked for the upliftment of the people from different sections of the society including the downtrodden who constitute the lowest strata of the society." He said the prime minister has made immense contribution to improve the farmers' plight by providing for availability of seeds, testing of soil, higher MSP for the corps, besides taking other welfare measures for them.

The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) will help farmers to engage in agriculture in a tension-free way, he said.