Lucknow, Jan 6 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday mounted a blistering attack on the Samajwadi Party, comparing the SP president's family with the Mahabharat characters.

"Kaka, mama, nana, bhatija -- you must have heard of them either in Mahabharat or between 2012 and 2017," he said.

"Before 2017, the recruitment charge in different departments was given to the family members. Some to uncles, some to brothers, and others to nephews. They are the reincarnated characters of Mahabharat who impeded Uttar Pradesh's progress by launching a war just like they did at the time of Mahabharat," said the chief minister while distributing appointment letters to the newly-selected naib tehsildars, lecturers and assistant teachers through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission at Lok Bhavan in the state capital.

The chief minister said, "You are the backbone for making the state the number one economy in the country. If the backbone breaks, the entire system falls. The previous governments had made this state without a backbone. We intend to bring the state to number one in the country with efficient people like you."

Continuing his attack on the previous government, Adityanath said: "When merit and honesty are at a discount and recruitments are made on the strength of caste and money, the state has to suffer."

"Did you too have to get recommendations from ministers, politicians or officials for the appointments?" asked the chief minister.

"This is the same state which was considered a hindrance in the country's development. However, today, UP is leader in implementation of 50 development schemes," Adityanath pointed out.

"Similarly, UP also improved its ease of doing business rank from 14th four years ago to 2nd in 2021. Stable law and order in the state now has helped us gain the confidence of industrialists and investors which is why UP has emerged as one of the favourite investment destinations." he added.