Akhilesh admitted SP-Cong tie-up 'opportunistic': Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi: Taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav's remark over the Samajwadi Party's poll alliance with the Congress, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has acknowledged that the tie-up is an "opportunistic" one.

Urban Development Minister Naidu also sounded optimistic of BJP forming the government in the country's most populous state, saying the two weak parties (Congress and SP) cannot match the strength of the BJP.

"Yadav's comments show that he has admitted to SP becoming weak due to family feud. I appreciate his confession. He has acknowledged that it is an opportunistic alliance, that too for family reasons but not in public interest," Naidu said in reference to Yadav's remark.

Yadav, in an interview to an English daily, had said that the alliance with Congress was product of "a particular time and circumstances" and may not have happened had the family feud within the Samajwadi Party not broken out.

The Samajwadi Party is fighting the UP assembly polls in alliance with the Congress.

"SP has formed alliance with Congress neither on the basis of ideology nor in the interest of the state but to cover up its weakness caused by internal fighting. Congress is already a weak party and joining hand with it cannot prevent the BJP from coming to power," Naidu said.

He also hit out at Lalu Prasad Yadav for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the language used by the RJD supremo was not appropriate.

Lalu had said yesterday that Modi is like a twin brother of US President Donald Trump, adding nobody knows what he will do next.