LUCKNOW: PM Narendra Modi tore into SP-BSP alliance for alleged ‘political opportunism’ of BSP chief Mayawati and the SP president Akhilesh Yadav in Etah on Saturday.
Modi called their alliance a “fake friendship” meant only to mislead people of Uttar Pradesh in the times of elections. He claimed their alliance would survive till the day of the counting of votes only.
Addressing a public rally in support of Rajveer Singh, son of former CM Kalyan Singh and party candidate from Etah, the Lodh-dominated constituency, PM accused the alliance leaders of dividing the state into caste lines for their sheer political interests. Drawing a parallel between the SP-BSP alliance and the one SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had cobbled up with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi ahead of 2017 UP assembly elections, PM Modi predicted the same fate for the present ‘mahagathbandhan.’
“You very well aware of the truth of those who make empty promises and proclaim hollow friendship. One friendship was also seen during the UP polls. The friendship got over with defeat in 2017 elections and the friends have now turned foes,” said PM Modi.
Akhilesh Yadav and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had claimed that theirs was not an alliance for elections but a friendship for future. However, the alliance did not last long and the two parties parted ways ahead of UP by-polls for Gorakhpur and Phulpur vacated by UP CM Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya after assuming charge in 2017.
Claiming that 2019 was an election to decide the course of 21st century, PM Modi claimed that country was facing the worst kind of opportunism for vested political gains. Taking a jibe at the alliance, PM Modi said: “Now another friendship has come up for political survival. But the date of this alliance is also fixed. It will see its end after May 23, Thursday, the result day of ensuing polls. The moment Modi government will come back, this alliance of Bua and Babua will vanish,” claimed the PM addressing a huge cheering crowd.
A day after alliance’s mega joint rally in Manipuri in support of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, PM’s Saturday narrative was focussed mainly on SP and BSP. Taking the context of Mayawati’s Friday statement that after ‘guest house episode’, it was a difficult decision for her to have a pact with SP, the PM said he would like to know from ‘Behenji’ how difficult it was to sail with those who had always oppressed the Dalits.
“I can understand Mayawatiji, how difficult it would have been for you to seek votes for those who indulged in grabbling lands of Dalits blatantly all this long,” said the PM. He added that it was difficult for the people of UP to forget the corruption of Mayawati’s regime and oppression of Akhilesh Yadav’s rule.