Bhubaneswar, Jan 17: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav met with Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik in Odisha on Saturday, describing their talks as a casual meeting.

Describing the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief as a senior and respected leader dedicated to the welfare of the poor, Akhilesh, while talking to reporters in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, said the meeting held on Friday focused on sharing political issues.

"Two former chief ministers met and shared their grievances and decided to unseat the BJP," the SP chief said without elaborating on the details about their meeting.

He outlined a vision for universal healthcare, asserting that "healthy India" should be treated as a national mission rather than a slogan.

The former Chief Minister criticised the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme, arguing that treatment caps and card-based limits prevent poor families from accessing full care. He demanded that serious illnesses such as cancer, liver, or kidney disease be treated free of cost in government hospitals without budget restrictions.

"Our stand as a socialist party is clear. Any poor person reaching the hospital should get free treatment for all diseases. We are against the card system. No health issue can be solved through the card system," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.

He also suggested that the government use artificial intelligence and telemedicine to bridge the gap in rural health facilities where medical access remains limited.

The SP leader accused the Union government of misusing central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Income Tax Department, to target opposition politicians and independent media.

He also alleged that communal tensions were being exploited for political gain, citing his experiences in Uttar Pradesh regarding violence linked to political motives.

Raising concerns over electoral "transparency", the SP chief claimed that approximately three crore voters were removed from the electoral rolls during the revision in Uttar Pradesh.

He announced intentions to move the Supreme Court to verify the accuracy of the Election Commission's electoral rolls.

"We will approach the Supreme Court to determine whether the voter list prepared by the Election Commission is valid or whether the list compiled by the State Election Commission is accurate," the SP leader said.

Furthermore, he expressed scepticism regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs), noting that countries like Germany and Japan do not use them for elections.

On the economic front, the SP leader questioned the government's claim of doubling farmers' income, pointing to the rising costs of fertilisers, pesticides, and electricity.

He also called for strict environmental impact assessments for industries, stating that industrial development should not come at the cost of public health.

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(IANS)