Modi has hoodwinked the nation: Mulayam

Lucknow, Feb 6 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of "lying to the nation" and "befooling the people".

On his maiden visit to his parliamentary constituency of Azamgarh, Yadav while addressing a rally of party supporters, locals and party workers said that none of the promises made by Modi have been fulfilled.

"Have people got jobs, have prices come down, has poverty been reduced, have international relations improved," he asked the cheering crowd which answered in the negative.

The former UP chief minister later laid foundation stones of developmental projects for Azamgarh worth several hundred crores. He also laid the foundation stone of sugar mill which will be built at a cost of Rs.400 crore.

He had selected Azamgarh as his constituency as he loved the people of the district, Yadav said adding that a "wave of development" would be initiated in the district.

He also claimed the SP was at the forefront of the battle against communal forces, and vowed that he would never allow the BJP to spread its footprint in the state. Among other projects, a bridge at Ghaghra river and the sugar mill at Sathiyan were announced Friday.

Identity cards to 1,000 beneficiaries of the Samajwadi Pension Scheme were also distributed by the SP supremo and 1,000 bicycles to registered labourers were also given away. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was to accompany his father and party chief to Azamgarh but he cancelled his trip after being indisposed. Officials said he went till the airport but decided to call off the tour.