Owaisi fires 'washing machine' jibe at BJP & SP; lambasts 'opportunistic hypocrisy'

Even as SP and BJP continue to take potshots at each other over nominating candidates facing criminal charges, AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi slammed both parties. Speaking to the media on Thursday, Owaisi taunted that SP, as well as BJP, have a "washing machine" that whitewashes the purported crimes of leaders and converts them into popular politicians with a "clean image". While BJP has been crying foul over SP giving a ticket to leaders such as Rampur MP Azam Khan, his son Abdullah Azam Khan and Nahid Hasan, Akhilesh Yadav hit back citing charges against the CM and Deputy CM. 

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi remarked, "Akhilesh has a washing machine which BJP also possesses. Whoever goes into their washing machine becomes Samajwadi and secular. Those facing criminal charges who enter BJP become clean and popular politicians. The entire country is witnessing the opportunistic hypocrisy of these people." 

AIMIM's thrust on UP elections

In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, BJP had won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member House, whereas BSP could win only 19 seats. On the other hand, the SP-Congress alliance failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. While this was seen as a mandate for PM Modi as BJP had not declared any CM candidate, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath was a surprise pick for the post. 

Though the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party initially joined the Om Prakash Rajbhar-led 'Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha', it was left in the lurch after Rajbhar's Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party forged a pre-poll alliance with SP. AIMIM has revealed its intention to contest 100 seats in UP. On January 22, AIMIM announced an alliance with Jan Adhikar Party and Bharat Mukti Morcha known as the 'Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha'.

Revealing the key agenda of this alliance, Owaisi said, "If the alliance comes to power there will be 2 Chief Ministers, one from OBC community and another from Dalit community. There would be 3 Deputy Chief Ministers including from Muslim community".  The upcoming UP Assembly election will be held in 7 phases beginning February 10 whereas the counting of votes shall take place on March 10.