Mulayam Singh exhorts party workers to repeat 2012 victory in 2017 assembly polls

Lucknow: With an eye on 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday exhorted party workers to repeat its 2012 performance as he also asked them to aim for the Centre.

"The state government is like 'Lekhpal' (revenue officer at district) and Centre is 'collector' (District Magistrate). You have to make us both to ensure development," Yadav said.

"SP workers had ensured the party's victory in 2012. Now, your mission should be both state and the Centre. The whole country cannot be yours unless you rule both the state and Delhi," the SP chief said while addressing a convention of representatives of 17 Other Backward Classes (OBC) at the party office here.

At the convention, senior party leader Shivpal Yadav accused the Centre of not fulfilling its promises and of befooling people.

"The central government is befooling people. The promises made by BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha polls were not fulfilled. In UP, we have come up to expectations of the people and fulfilled the promises made by us," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, convention's organiser and state mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati said only SP can take a stand in favour of OBC people and if they want to get their rights they should come openly in favour of the party.