SP chief Akhilesh Yadav says the 'country is ready for a new Prime Minister', lists litany of election-related complaints

As the third phase of Lok Sabha elections began from 7am on Tuesday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav requested voters to exercise their right to vote in the largest festival of democracy anywhere in the world. He also alleged EVM malfunctioning and said that a complaint has been sent to the Election Commission.

Interacting with the media, he expressed his confidence in the victory of the SP-BSP-RLD gathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh and alleged the malfuctioning of the EVMs:

"Gathbandhan is going to win with a huge margin. This is a very important phase for gathbandhan, and I hope voters will recall the five years of struggle under the BJP and they will decide on their rule in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

We are hearing that EVMs are not functional. In Rampur from where Azam Khan is contesting, Police is not allowing voters to come out of their homes and if they are going, they are witnessing faulty EVMs. In Kairana, EVMs were malfunctioned and the reason stated was the hot weather. Now the DM is saying that the training has not been good. EC should look into it. Everybody, the goverenmnt, the bureaucrats, all are wanting to put a dark patch on the democracy.

I will tell you about Badaun also, where BJP workers are hiding and ministers are hiding in their homes, I hope the EC takes the notice of this. We have complained to the EC. We hope the EC will take strict action against them."

Adding that the country is ready for a new Prime Minister, he said: 

"We believe that country is going to get new PM. To the voters I would want to say that wherever voting is being done, go in large margin and vote for new PM."

READ: Akhilesh Yadav Makes Poetic Prediction Ahead Of Lucknow's Rajnath Singh-Poonam Sinha-Acharya Krishnam Trilateral Lok Sabha Battle. Here It Is

The BJP has a huge stake in this phase in Uttar Pradesh with the party having won seven out of the ten seats in the region in 2014, leaving three for the Samajwadi Party, but facing a tough challenge from SP-BSP-RLD combine here.

The campaigning for the phase witnessed a new low with SP leader Azam Khan making an 'indecent' remark, targeting his opponent Jaya Prada. The three other leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati, who faced the poll panel's wrath for making "provocative" speeches.

The political heavyweights, whose fate will be decided in the third phase of elections here, include Mulayam Singh Yadav, Union minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar, who is fighting from Bareilly and BJP's Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit.

Voting for the 543 Lok Sabha seats is to be held in seven phases: April 11, April 19, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will be done on May 23.

READ: "Akhilesh Is Aurangzeb, Mulayam Like Shah Jahan," Attacks Former SP Leader Amar Singh Also Raising Questions On Mayawati's Mainpur Rally