New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has made the state free from mafia, as well as mosquitos.

Addressing back-to-back rallies in Maharajganj and Deoria in support of BJP candidates Pankaj Chaudhary and Shashank Mani Tripathi, Shah praised the Yogi government for its firm stance on criminal syndicates.

"At one time, the entire Uttar Pradesh was surrounded by mafia and mosquitoes. Our Yogi Adityanath has eliminated both mosquitoes and the mafia. By maintaining cleanliness, he eliminated mosquitoes and he has a style with which he eliminated the mafias as well," he said while addressing a huge rally in Deoria.

A few days ago, while addressing a rally in Mirzapur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also credited the Yogi government for its anti-mafia initiatives.

"Yogi Adityanath has cleaned up Uttar Pradesh by doing away with the mafia. He has followed my Swachhta Abhiyan. The mafia has vanished from the state," said PM Modi.

Earlier this month, the UP Chief Minister promised that he will declare Uttar Pradesh a 'mafia-free' state after June 4.

"The properties amassed by notorious mafia figures will face confiscation, with the seized assets slated for redistribution to underprivileged segments of society, including the impoverished, orphaned, women's shelters, and facilities catering to the needs of the differently-abled," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office.

"Hospitals and schools will be built on the illegal lands of the mafia. In the first phase, a crackdown on the mafia will be launched, whereas in the second, their properties will be confiscated. Our action plan is also ready for this," he added.