As India comes closer to starting a massive vaccination drive across the country with two Covid-19 vaccines getting CDSCO emergency approval, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said he will not take the jab.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister termed the vaccines to be rolled out in the country as “vaccine of the BJP”, drawing sharp criticism from the saffron party, which said he insulted doctors and scientists.

“How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP's vaccine,” he told reporters at Lucknow.

He also said his party will come to power in the state after 2022 elections and everybody will get the vaccine free.

His remarks prompted an instant rebuttal from BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya who termed the statement an “insult to the doctors and scientists of the country”.

“Akhilesh Yadav does not have trust in the vaccine, and people of Uttar Pradesh do not have trust in Akhilesh Yadav. His raising questions on the vaccine is an insult to doctors and scientists of the country. He should tender an apology,” Maurya told reporters.

A trial drill for distribution of Covid-19 vaccine began across the country on Saturday, officials said.

The Centre had on Thursday stated that the exercise aims to test the linkages between planning and implementation, and identify challenges.