Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday asked party workers to start preparations for the 2024 Loksabha polls from booth level up even as he accused the BJP of abusing state power in the recently held civic body polls. ?

Yadav, who held a meeting with MLAs and senior leaders at party headquarters, also questioned the role of the state election commission in the polls swept by BJP with victory at all 17 posts of mayor.

"We have to start preparations for the 2024 polls from now. We have to strengthen party organisation at booth level and stand by the people in their pain and grief," Yadav, according to a statement issued here, said. ?

"The Samajwadi Party will continue to fight against the BJP. Now the public has come to know that BJP is an expert in tricking people with lies and deceit. Unlike the Samajwadi Party, the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh has not done a single development work in six years … except misleading people," he added. ?

The former UP chief minister said the SP gave a fitting reply to BJP in the recently concluded urban local body polls. "BJP exerts pressure on officials for political gains. BJP may have succeeded in winning some seats in its favour (in urban body polls) but the number of people who won against BJP is very high. 70 per cent of the people of the state are against the BJP," Yadav said.