PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 9 -- Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav of trying to create a vote bank among students and youth ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, claiming that neither leader was genuinely concerned about their (students') interests.

Speaking to reporters at the Circuit House in Prayagraj before leaving for Lucknow, Maurya questioned why Rahul Gandhi was not visiting Jharkhand if he was genuinely concerned about students.

"His only agenda is to visit states ruled by the BJP and defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But people understand this," he said.

Maurya claimed that the Opposition leaders did not enjoy the support of...