Calling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a party of liars, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav predicted its rout in the second phase of polling.

Addressing a rally in Badaun, Yadav also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying small leaders of BJP are telling small lies, big leaders are telling big lies, and their top leader is telling the biggest lies.

“Going by the first phase of polling on 58 seats on February 10, people have made up their mind to defeat the BJP and we don’t have to wait till March 10 to know the result,” Yadav said.

Launching a scathing attack on the ruling BJP in the state, Yadav said that the voting percentage in the first phase has changed the direction of the wind against BJP.

The opposition SP-RLD alliance is coming to power, predicted Akhilesh and said that in the second phase of elections in Budaun, Sambhal and Moradabad, the BJP is going to be wiped out.

Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his “garmi nikalna” remark, Yadav said after the first round of polls, the BJP has “cooled down”.

The former UP CM also attacked Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) saying the SP is working to defeat the BJP, but one party intends to stop the SP and urged all Samajwadis and Ambedkarites to join hands to bring about a change in Uttar Pradesh and protect the country’s constitution.

Uttar Pradesh records 60.17 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of Assembly elections with Shamli and Muzaffarnagar recording the highest poll turnout at 69.4 per cent and 65.3 per cent respectively. 

The second phase of polling for the state assembly is scheduled for February 14.

Altogether 55 assembly constituencies will go to the polls in the second phase covering nine districts of Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha, Sambhal, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Budaun and Shahjahanpur.