Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday blamed the Election
Commission for the Samajwadi Party's failure in the Assembly polls and conceded electoral defeat.
"The Election Commission made full efforts to ensure the defeat of the Samajwadi Party. And it succeeded. Moreover, it had the full backing of Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party," Yadav said, shortly after submitting his resignation to Governor T V Rajeshwar.
He accused the EC of running a parallel government and said it was not good for the democracy.
The outgoing chief minister also said he would call for an all-party meeting to debate the EC's role and powers.
Conceding defeat in the elections, he said he accepted the verdict of the people.
"People failed to understand our policies. But still we accept their verdict," Yadav said.
Yadav said the EC had violated the limits laid down by the Constitution.
He claimed the central paramilitary forces deployed by the commission dissuaded the people from exercising their franchise, adding at many places security personnel in plainclothes were present inside the booths.
"Despite all this, people have voted for us, and we are grateful to them," Yadav said.
"We will now go to the people. We have always been with the people," he said.
He said political rival Congress was "finished forever" in the state. "Now, the fight is between SP and BSP," he said.
Asked about BSP chief Mayawati's reported statement that she would put him behind bars if she comes to power, he said, "Why don't you go and ask her."