Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Friday said the Congress game plan was not to stop the BJP from forming the government at the Centre, but to come to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2022.
He also that the SP and BJP have sacrificed seats in national interest.
"Our intention is clear right from the word go. We formed alliance (with BSP and RLD) to stop the communal party and in the process, we in the SP and also the BSP had to sacrifice seats in national interest," he told PTI in an interview.
But, the Congress' agenda in the ongoing parliamentary polls is not to stop the BJP from forming the next government at the Centre. They are working for making the next UP chief minister in 2022 (when the next assembly polls are due) Akhilesh said.
His no holds barred attack came days after he lashed out at the Congress for its "too big ego".
The SP chief's remarks assume significance against the backdrop of Congress President Rahul Gandhi himself asserting that his party will form the government at the Centre and that "after the Lok Sabha polls, the next target was (UP) assembly elections (in 2022) to ensure that the state is at the top in education, health and employment as before."
Asked to comment on Modi terming the alliance as "maha milawat", Akhilesh retorted, saying, "What should we call their (BJP) alliance with 38 parties? We are contesting on core issues and people have seen a hope in our alliance."
Asked about justification of his statement that people of state will send the CM to 'mutt' after polls, Akhilesh said, Just go through his speeches in the current polls. He talks of green virus, Raul Vinci, 'Mamaji', coalgate, Ali and Bajrangbali in his speeches but never says what he has done and what is his vision for UP's development."