Lucknow, Jan 22 (PTI) Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday targeted Akhilesh Yadav, saying for the Samajwadi Party chief IT stands for ''Income from Terror", and mafias like Mukhtar Ansari, Atiq Ahmed and Nahid Hasan are its "brand ambassadors".

Thakur on Saturday started the party's placard publicity campaign at Hazratganj crossing in the state capital.

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Speaking to reporters here, Thakur said, "IT means Income from Terror. Mafias like Mukhtar Ansari, Yunus Ansari, Atiq Ahmed and Nahid Hasan are its brand ambassadors. It was the result of their (mafia) terror that the real 'IT', meaning Information Technology, companies did not come to UP."

"However, under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, the BJP government in the past five years gave jobs to lakhs of youth in the Information Technology without any discrimination or corruption. And, UP is now being recognised as an IT hub. After action was initiated against the criminals and mafia, the IT of the 'Income from Terror' of Akhilesh was driven away," Thakur said.

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He also said that the work done by the team of Yogi Adityanath and frontline workers is being praised throughout the world.

To a question on virtual rallies of the Samajwadi Party, Thakur said, "Akhilesh Yadav does not know the meaning of virtual and he talks about distributing laptops."

The Union minister also exuded confidence that the BJP will again form the government in the state.

Five placards on various issues were also displayed during the campaign, the UP BJP said in a statement.

Thakur said that workers will go from house-to-house and tell the voters about the achievements of the BJP government.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)