Lucknow, Mar 26 (IANS): Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has asked the Congress to support the regional parties in different states if it wishes to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections.

He suggested that all the anti-BJP regional political outfits should come together.

Akhilesh said, "Several regional parties -- giants in their respective states -- are strongly fighting the BJP. All these regional giants should come together. And the Congress party should decide its role on the national level. The Congress should support the regional parties in different states. It is time for the Congress to keep the regional parties in the front and support them in defeating the BJP."

Akhilesh's statement assumes significance since it comes after senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after he was convicted by a court in Gujarat's Surat in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.

Akhilesh said, "In UP, the Samajwadi Party is fighting and struggling against the BJP at all levels. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the SP will defeat the BJP in UP. All parties should support the SP so that UP and the country can get rid of the BJP."

He further said, "The regional parties are set to play a very big role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and this will lead to the wiping out of the BJP. The Samajwadi Party has always responsibly played its role in the national politics and in the times to come the party will play its role strongly."

Reacting to the SP leader's remarks, UP Congress spokesman Ashok Singh said, "The Congress is relentlessly fighting the BJP in the entire country. Akhilesh Yadav is fighting only in UP. Akhilesh should also show a big heart and support the Congress. To oust the BJP, is not the sole responsibility of the Congress."