'180-Degree PM' Who Distanced Himself from Pragya Thakur's Remarks Must Apologise, Says Akhilesh

New Delhi: Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav has slammed PM Modi calling him a “180-degrees PM” for distancing himself from Pragya Thakur after she hailed Nathuram Godse as a patriot.

“Modi is a 180 degree PM. This is the first Govt which does entirely opposite to what they promise. This has not happened for the first time. The PM and the BJP should apologise for what their candidate said against the father of the nation,” Akhilesh told News18 India in an interview.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday finally broke his silence on his party leader and BJP’s Bhopal pick Sadhvi Pragya Thakur’s remark, saying he would never be able to forgive her for insulting Mahatma Gandhi.

Akhilesh’s “180 degrees PM” remark comes along the lines of the Modi’s earlier, endorsement of Pragya Thakur’s candidature when the Opposition questioned the rationale of the BJP behind giving her a ticket.

On the question of the Gatbhandhan’s performance, Akhilesh said that the UP’s result will surprise everyone. “UP election has changed the narrative of other parties. First Yogi Adityanath used to talk about rep cap (referring to Samajwadi Party), now PM is talking about us,” he said.

The SP chief also took a jibe at the BJP for allegedly engaging in communal politics. “If they read Lohiya’s book, they will not indulge in communal politics. BJP leaders will have a lot of time after May 23,” he said.

When asked whether there is a possibility of a non-BJP, Congress-Third Front government, Akhilesh said that there has always been an alliance government in the Centre regardless of a party winning majority.

“People want a government which works for the common man, a government that is committed to the development of employment avenues,” he said, suggesting that a coalition government works best at the Centre.

The former UP chief minister, however, dodged the question of whether Mayawati is the PM candidate that he refers to when he says that a woman will be PM and that the PM will be from UP.

“If you understand all hints, then can’t you understand this hint? Post-May 23 Mayawati, Ajit Singh and I will sit and formulate further strategy,” he said.

“Now we have this alliance. Let the have not’s get their due space and rights. Let the counting be done”.