Attacking SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for inaction over his candidate Azam Khan's khaki underwear jibe against her, BJP's nominee from Rampur Jaya Prada says it could well be the party's undoing with women in the constituency now turning against it.
The actor-politician said Yadav's response to Khan's insensitive remark shows he is groomed in an atmosphere where his thinking mirrors that of the veteran SP leader from Rampur.
Jaya Prada, who is taking on Khan in this constituency after switching to the BJP just ahead of the polls, said the reason for his animosity against her could be his insecurity.
He is a very inferior person, so he doesn't like women progressing, the 57-year-old actor-turned politician said.
Asked if she felt hurt by her former party's patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav not condemning Khan's remarks, Jaya Prada said she is not hurt but did expect younger leaders to have new and positive thinking.
But in his (Akhilesh Yadav) presence, Azam Khan made such a stupid kind of statement so there is no expectation from Akhilesh. That means he is groomed in this atmosphere so his thinking is also like that, she said.
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In her view, political discourse has hit an all-time low with Khan's remark.
Whatever the comment he has given, all over the country people have started reacting and they are abusing him. But it is very disappointing. I feel very ashamed to have chosen a brother like Azam Khan, the BJP leader said.
Maybe it was a wrong choice for me to call him a brother and he proved in reality he is not the person he pretends to be, she said.
After Khan's remark, she said she feels all women will vote for her.
Asked if women will vote for her irrespective of caste and religion after Khan's remarks, she said, "Definitely. Particularly this Rampur election is not about division. Now people have become one. Now Jaya Prada is not fighting (the polls), it is people's fight."
Without naming Jaya Prada, Khan told an election rally in Rampur recently, "...You got represented (by her) for 10 years. People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear."