New Delhi: Departments like the Enforcement Directorate and CBI are unnecessary and should be shut down, according to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, reported Indian Express.

Yadav went a step further, saying that he plans to propose this idea to the INDIA bloc.

“CBI aur ED band hone chahiye (The CBI and ED should be shut)… If you have cheated, there is the Income Tax department to deal with it. Why do you need the CBI? Every state has an Anti-Corruption Department, use it if needed,” Akhilesh said in an interview with The Indian Express.

He justified his argument, saying that the Central agencies are being used only against political adversaries of the BJP.

“They are used agar sarkar banaani hai, ya giraani hai (to form governments, or break governments),” Akhilesh said.

He questioned why hadn’t the agencies probed “what went wrong during demonetisation”. “How did people convert their black money into white?”

Asked if an INDIA government be ready to take such a measure with far-reaching consequences if it came to power.

“This is my proposal and I will put this before the INDIA alliance,” Akhilesh was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Speaking to The Indian Express while traveling from Lucknow to Amethi and Rae Bareli—two key constituencies for the Congress—Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav stated that the alliance would last beyond the elections.

“Alliance chalega, chalayenge (will continue, we will ensure it continues). And it will be there for whichever election comes… But for the moment, our effort is to form the (national) government,” Akhilesh told Indian Express.

The SP chief campaigned for the Congress in the final stages, with Rahul Gandhi running as the party's candidate from Rae Bareli. When asked if the alliance would continue even if the Congress performs poorly again, as it did in 2019 with only 1 seat in UP and 51 overall, Akhilesh Yadav replied with a firm, "Yes."

According to Akhilesh Yadav, the "game changer" is the "PDA (Pichada, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) vote" that the SP has been targeting. He added that Congress is also on the same page.