Lucknow, Nov 18 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya has suggested that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav should change his name to 'Akhilesh Ali Jinnah'.

Akhilesh Yadav has been on the BJP target ever since he used Jinnah's name along with Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters, saying they helped India get freedom and never backed away from the struggle, earlier this month.

Maurya told reporters, "The politics of appeasement of the Samajwadi Party has brought Jinnah to the forefront. That is why I say to Akhilesh Yadav that he should change his name to Akhilesh Ali Jinnah. And he should change the name of his party to Jinnahwadi Party."

Maurya further warned the Samajwadi Party that Jinnah would not win them elections. He also targeted Akhilesh Yadav over his party's link with gangster-turned-politicians.

"Neither (Mohammad Ali) Jinnah nor Atiq Ahmed or (Mukhtar) Ansari will help him win in this election. The people of UP have chosen lotus (BJP). The advantage is reaching the people of the state with honesty. There were mafia and goons here, those have ended and the people are at peace," he said.

Maurya claimed that the Samajwadi party is in panic after losing elections in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019. "They should prepare for defeat again next year," he added.