SP, BSP are partners in crime, says Modi

The BJP on Monday virtually launched its election campaign months in advance of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounting his strongest attack on the ruling Samajwadi Party and the challenger Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

He dubbed them “partners in crime”, and asserted that the State has been “destroyed” by their rule.

Addressing a large rally at the end of the BJP’s two-day national executive, Modi showcased a number of ministers and MPs from UP in his Cabinet — Kalraj Mishra, Rajnath Singh, Sanjeev Balyan, Mahesh Sharma, Murli Manohar Joshi, Anupriya Patel — while underlining his status as an MP from nearby Varanasi.

Significantly, while three chief ministerial claimants in the party who are also MPs from the State — Varun Gandhi, Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani — were not on the dais with other luminaries from UP, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma made a brief intervention on the stage, asking the crowd to download the “Modi App” on their phones.

Corruption-free Urging the cheering crowd to shun “nepotism, casteism and communalism”, the Prime Minister accused the SP of unleashing “goondagardi (hooliganism)” in the State and promised to deliver it “corruption-free and development-oriented governance”.

Before Modi spoke, party president Amit Shah too attacked the SP government and again highlighted the communal tension in the State, specifically talking about the alleged mass exodus of Hindus from Kairana in western UP — an issue that is being flagged by the local BJP.

The party has approached the National Human Rights Commission against the SP’s “collusion” with criminal and communal elements among the minority community.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh too spoke, highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation in the State. But the strongest words came from the PM himself when he talked about the SP-BSP “ jugalbandi (symphony)” on corruption.

“In UP, we have witnessed a very funny contract between two parties. When Mayawati was in power, the SP accused her of corruption for five years. But then the SP defeated her and for five years did not take any action against Mayawati. It was the turn of Maywati to accuse the SP of corruption. Then she won and did nothing to take action. This is the symphony of corruption these two parties conduct — that you loot for five years and then my turn will come and I will loot for five years. This is the contract for corruption that these two parties have signed,” he said.

Betrayal of people He said if any party, including the BJP, betrays people after winning their mandate, they should be “kicked out”.

“I assure you, we will work towards the development of the State. But if we too betray the people and work for our individual gains, you should kick us out after five years,” he said.

Talking about the policy to do away with interviews for employment of class IV employees and rural electrification in the country, the PM said he was conducting a “Vikas Yagna” on the banks of the Ganga.

“This yagna needs a sacrifice form the people of UP. You will have to sacrifice ego, nepotism, casteism, communalism and shun parties that spread corruption and criminaliation of politics. Only then will UP progress,” said the PM.

COMMENT NOW