Varanasi, Jul 7 (IANS): The poster war over the now-famous West Bengal slogan "Khela hobe" is raising the heat in Uttar Pradesh where Assembly elections are a few months away.

After the Samajwadi Party put up hoardings and posters with the tagline "2022 mein khela hoi" in Kanpur and Varanasi, the ruling BJP has reacted with posters that proclaim "2022 mein khela na hoi".

The BJP posters have been put up by a local leader Bachchi Yadav and prominently carry the photograph of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Samajwadi posters had been put up by a local party leader Abdul Samad.

"Goonda, mafia, bhu-mafia, bhrashtachari are desh drohi ka khela khatam hoi"-- the BJP poster further says.

This is probably the first time that the SP and BJP are indulging in a direct poster war and that too, through its workers.

Bachchi Yadav, the BJP leader, said, "There will be no game because we will not allow it. 'Games' are engineered by those who do not have a clean slate and want to grab power to shield their corruption. The BJP is banking on its work and development so there is no room for any game."