Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister, Nand Kumar Gupta ‘Nandi’ has stirred fresh controversy by comparing Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to Ravana and BSP supremo Mayawati to Surpanakha. The comparisons to the villains of Ramayana came during a public gathering in Allahabad, where UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath was present.

Addressing a gathering in Allahabad, Nand Kumar said, “Lord Ram has said to Ravana that you would be named Mulayam during Kalyug and will become the state’s chief minister.”

The minister further went on to rant that when Kumbhakarna and Meghnad asked Lord Ram about their future selves, they were told that they would become Shivpal and Akhilesh, respectively. “Meghnad, you will fool the people of the state and become chief minister by cheating people,” said Nand Kumar.

The ramblings did not just stop at SP leadership. “When Surpanakha came running stating that Lord Ram had destroyed her family, he told her that she will rule Ayodhya during Kalyug as Mayawati. But she would not get married,” said the BJP minister, adding to the story that modern-day Maricha was the 'dramebaaz, dhokebaaz' Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

To top it off, Nand Kumar called PM Narendra Modi an avatar of Lord Ram and likened Yogi Adityanath to Hanuman. The UP CM was looking into his mobile and smiling while his cabinet minister went on speaking.

Reacting to the statements, Samajwadi Party spokesperson said, “Such comments reveal the upbringing and mentality of BJP ministers. They idolise Nathu Ram Godse, they are rattled by the unity shown by minorities against them. Only yesterday, they termed SP and BSP as saanp (snake) and newla (mongoose). They are disrespecting Dalits and backward castes by name calling their leaders.”

BSP spokesperson Ummed Singh called for Nand Kumar to be thrown out of the party and the cabinet and said, “The comments are condemned in the highest order. He should apologise for what he has said. I demand that the BJP throw him out. The BJP will face problems in the upcoming bypolls for these comments against Behen Ji Mayawati.”

The ruling party, instead of taking action, tried to defend their minister. “Personal attacks on any person is unacceptable. Although, I think Nand Kumar Nandi was only trying to represent the symbolic image of UP politics in the last 15 years. It was a political stage and Nand Kumar was only placing his view. Such things should not be unnecessarily blown out of proportion,” said BJP spokesperson Shalabh Mani Tripathi.