Lucknow, Sept. 17 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened a broadside with the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday, with its leaders alleging that during its regime cow smugglers had a free run and illegal slaughterhouses flourished. The party also accused SP president, Akhilesh Yadav, of having no other agenda except to grab power.

Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said that during the Samajwadi Party regime artistes were invited from Mumbai to Saifai, and the money was spent from the government treasury.

Pathak said that Akhilesh Yadav has made many misleading and fabricated statements "today. I would like to respond to all these statements."

Advising Yadav to introspect, Pathak said, "Why do you (Akhilesh Yadav) keep bringing up...