New Delhi: Political opponents UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati — under attack from their common enemy Prime Minister Narendra Modi — returned fire, causing campaigning to reach a feverish pitch on Monday.
Known for his caustic remarks and subtle humour, Mr Yadav asked filmstar Amitabh Bachchan to stop promoting “Gujarat’s donkeys”, in a reference to a tourism promotional advertisement featuring the actor, with several donkeys in the background.
“Ek gadhe ka vigyapan aata hai. Main iss sadi ke sabse bade mahanayak se kahunge ke ab aap Gujarat ke gadhon ka prachar mat kariye,” the SP chief said at a poll rally in Rae Bareli.
Mayawati said that the PM was unaware that BSP “is a movement first and then a political party”.
She claimed to have dedicated her life “for making members of dalit, deprived and weaker sections and Muslims stand on their feet”.
Replying to Mr Modi’s jibe, she claimed that the dalits “consider me as a sampatti (asset) for them”. She accused the PM of being perturbed over the rising popularity of the BSP.
PM is Mr Negative Dalit Man: Mayawati
BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming him as “Mr Negative Dalit Man”.
“Perturbed at the rising popularity of the BSP, the Prime Minister is indulging in cheap things and indulging in petty talk about its supreme leader and has termed BSP as ‘Behenji Sampatti Party’ (Behenji Assets Party),” she said at a rally here.
Mayawati is popularly known as ‘Behenji’. “He (Modi) is an expert in jumlebaazi (rhetoric) but when he will get a tit-for-tat reply he will forget all about it and today I have been compelled to do the same for him,” she said.
“Narendra Damodardas Modi means Mr Negative Dalit Man, he is anti-Dalit... This negative Dalit man does not like that common people give small contributions in running the movement which is also run through donations,” Mayawati said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, “Bahujan toh Mayawati me simat gaya hai. It is Behenji Sampatti Party now.”
Tipu campaigns for tainted mantri
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday addressed an election rally here, campaigning for party colleague and rape accused Gayatri Prajapati who is contesting from Amethi.
Mr Prajapati, a minister who has been booked on the directions of the Supreme Court, however, left the dais when Mr Akhilesh arrived.
Party sources said the Chief Minister did not want to share stage with Mr Prajapati and had asked the organisers of the rally to ensure that he was not present when he spoke.
Mr Akhilesh, in his election rally at Gauriganj in Amethi district, did not make any reference to his controversial cabinet colleague during his entire speech.
