"Public will make BJP yearn for even 140 seats...": Akhilesh Yadav

"This government has discriminated against farmers, youth and businessmen for ten years. This election is to protect the Constitution. The public will make them (BJP) yearn for even 140 seats," Akhilesh told reporters.

Earlier today, there was a huge uproar in the meeting of the SP President in Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. During this, the crowd went out of control. The crowd broke the barricades installed around the stage.

On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president were forced to cut short the public meeting in Prayagraj's Phulpur constituency as the crowd broke the barricades and reached the dais, creating a stampede-like situation.

Both the leaders left the rally without addressing the people of the Phulpur constituency in Prayagraj. The campaign rally was organised in support of Amarnath Maurya, who is contesting on an SP ticket for the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat.

The workers of both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party went out of control and attempted to reach the stage to get near Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. The police were struggling to control the excited crowd that went past the barricades that were put in place.

Notably, polling for the Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh is being held across all seven phases. Voting in the first five phases has already been completed, while the remaining phases are scheduled for May 25, and June 1.

The counting of votes for all phases has been scheduled for June 4. In the 2019 polls, the BJP mopped up the bulk of the electoral spoils in the state, winning 62 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats, while ally Apna Dal (S) won two more seats. Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while her then-alliance partner, Akhilesh Yadav's SP, had to settle for just 5 seats. The Congress won just a lone seat in the state.

In the 2014 elections, the BJP swept UP, winning 71 seats, while the Congress could only bag 2. (ANI)