BSP wants both Ali and Bajrangbali: Mayawati's jibe at Yogi Adityanath

While Ali is revered as Prophet Mohammad's successor, Bajrang Bali is a name for Lord Hanuman

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday responded to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's recent remark that earned him an election code violation notice as she said both "Ali" and "Bajrangbali" were her own people, referring to the Muslim and Hindu communities.

Speaking first in the second joint rally with alliance partner Akhilesh Yadav for the ongoing national election, the BSP chief said she wanted both "Ali" and "Bajranbali". "Ali and Bajangbali, both are our own. That's why we want both Ali and Bajrangbali," she said in Badaun, where Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav won in the 2014 election despite a BJP wave.

While "Ali" is revered by Muslims as Prophet Mohammad's successor, "Bajrang Bali" is another name for the Hindu god Lord Hanuman. Mayawati took potshots at the BJP star campaigner over his controversial comment that Lord Hanuman was from the Dalit community. "We also want 'Bajrangbali' as he is related to my own Dalit caste. And the discovery of his caste was not done by me, it is done by Yogi himself," she added.

'Poll body works on PM's instructions'

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu flew down to Delhi to meet officials of the Election Commission to take his protests over allegation that 30 to 40 per cent of voting machines in his state did not work properly on Thursday, the first day of the national election. Naidu said, "EC is an autonomous body. They are working on instructions of (PM) Modi."

'Rahul got MPhil without masters'

Union Minister Arun Jaitley jumped to the defence of his colleague Smriti Irani, who has been accused by the opposition of providing false information on her educational qualification in her nomination papers. Jaitley said, "One day the focus would be on the BJP candidate's educational qualification, forgetting that a public audit of Rahul's academic credentials may leave a lot to be answered."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!