Prayagraj: Hitting back at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for politicising the alleged theft of Ram Mandir donations, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday said the former UP CM was ‘frustrated’ and had no real issues to talk about.“Akhilesh Yadav has lost his mental balance. He dreams of returning to power in 2027, but he will not come to power before 2047. He must focus on preserving his party’s relevance till then. His comments stemmed from political frustration and a frustrated person often speaks irresponsibly,” Maurya said.He was addressing BJP workers during the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ programme at Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT).Regarding the donation theft case, he added that FIRs had been registered, and the accused sent behind bars.“Investigations and legal proceedings are underway. Despite his contributions, temple trust former general secretary Champat Rai is being targeted by the opposition,” he said.Maurya further dismissed Yadav’s alleged claim that elections would not be held in 2027. “Elections will take place, we will win and Akhilesh will be sent back to Saifai,” he said.He also claimed that law and order had improved under BJP govt and said India was emerging as an economic, global and cultural power.Responding to opposition criticism of the ‘VB-G-Ram-Ji’ scheme, Maurya said rival parties oppose every good initiative. He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would continue to take decisions in the interest of the country and the state.Maurya said the Viksit Bharat initiative would promote all-round rural development and curb corruption. He alleged that corruption had been rampant in MGNREGA during the Congress-led govt and claimed development of villages was neglected during previous SP and BSP regimes in Uttar Pradesh.“The initiative will help prevent migration from villages, curb fake job cards and ensure corruption-free development,” he said.Maurya also claimed that India was overcoming global challenges related to energy, fuel and fertilisers, while maintaining an image of neutrality on the global stage. He urged party workers to work towards forming BJP govt in Uttar Pradesh for a third consecutive term in 2027 and winning all 12 assembly segments in Prayagraj.BJP netas Vivek Mishra and Pawan Srivastava were among those present at the event.
