Day after Jayant Chaudhary’s retort to Akhilesh’s ‘chavanni’ remark, BJP hits out at SP chief

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) A day after Union Minister of State and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary hit back at Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘chavanni’ remark, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday accused the SP chief of “insulting” the Jat community.

While addressing a recent event, Yadav said: “I don’t know from where all people came to form an alliance with us (SP). We had increased their value from ‘chavanni’ (25 paise) to one full rupee, yet they left us and went away.”

His remark was seen as mocking the RLD President.

Taking to X on Saturday, Jayant Chaudhary responded, saying: “In the battle of politics, if you had to use some cheap words, you could have at least said them taking my name, It wouldn’t have been an issue.”

“Targeting the Jat community and saying we taught ABCD ? I’ve seen this arrogance up close and I believe such behavior only brings downfall!” he remarked.

Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said if Akhilesh Yadav is calling Jayant Chaudhary ‘chavanni’ without taking his name, it means that he is calling the same “to the entire Jat community”.

“Chaudhary Charan Singh (Jayant’s grandfather) was a top leader, not only of the Jat community, but also among the farmer leaders. Calling his grandson ‘chavanni’ is an insult to the entire community,” he added.

Referring to Jayant Chaudhary, Sharma said: “He was born in a such a family whose blood carries nationalism and patriotism.”

BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said the reason why Akhilesh Yadav is “concerned” about Jayant Chaudhary is because the SP chief is “feeling very isolated and troubled”.

“He (Akhilesh) knows that the Congress Party is a liability and that whatever number of seats they are given, they will lose all of them. In such a situation, he is trying to keep his options open by reaching out to Om Prakash Rajbhar at times and Jayant Chaudhary at others,” he told IANS.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Narendra Kumar Kashyap added to the criticism, saying, “Akhilesh Yadav’s ego is at its peak now. He is insulting RLD leaders and Chaudhary Charan Singh ji. He is also insulting the Jat community.”

“Since RLD is a trusted ally of the NDA, all alliance partners are standing with the party,” he asserted

In a warning to the SP chief, Kashyap said: “You’ll (Akhilesh) have to bear the consequences of insulting RLD.”

–IANS

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