Akhilesh took oath to protect Constitution, but tried protecting terrorists: Nadda

The BJP chief also accused the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and the BJP's rivals in the state of patronising goons and the mafia.

BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday attacked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, saying he took oath to protect the Constitution, but instead tried to protect terrorists.

He also accused the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and the BJP's rivals in the state of patronising goons and the mafia.

Accusing Mr Yadav of "withdrawing cases of terrorists accused of bomb blasts", Mr Nadda said, "The court did not spare these accused. The court said that you cannot withdraw the cases, these terrorists cannot be released. The terrorists, whom Akhilesh wanted to save, were sentenced by the court," he said while addressing an election rally in the Shravasti assembly constituency on Sunday for party candidate Ram Pheran Pandey.

The BJP chief said that Mr Yadav took oath to protect the Constitution but he tried protecting terrorists.

Mr Nadda also claimed that the father of one of those convicted in the Ahmedabad blast case and who is a resident of Sanjarpur in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh, is campaigning for the Samajwadi Party.

Polls to the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly is being held in seven phases, and the third was held on Sunday. Polling in Shravasti will be held in the fifth phase.