LUCKNOW: In a sharp reaction to PM Modi’s remarks that SP had a tacit understanding with the Congress and kept the BSP chief Mayawati in the dark about it, both the alliance leaders on Sunday claimed that the Prime Minister’s comments suggest that he is losing his mind after four phases of election.
While SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the PM had changed his tone as he had realised that the BJP was lagging after four phases of Lok Sabha elections, BSP chief Mayawati termed it as the divide and rule policy of the PM to confuse Mahagathbandhan voters.
Addressing a rally in Pratapgarh on Saturday, Modi had referred to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s participation in a meeting of Samajwadi party workers in Rae Bareli on Friday saying that it was the reality of Congress and SP ties, keeping the BSP chief in dark.
He claimed that the SP was simply using Mayawati for electoral gains in the name of a grand alliance.
Attacking the PM, Akhilesh said, “Their arithmetic has gone wrong. They know they won’t be able to form the government. They’re not talking about development and farmers’ income. PM just wants to mislead people. SP-BSP-RLD will decide who forms the government.”
The BSP supremo said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are alike. We are not in coalition with the Congress, but to defeat the BJP, we will support them in Amethi and Rae Bareli.
Accusing the PM of trying to drive a wedge between the SP and BSP, Mayawati said the “alliance will continue in future as well”.
She said, “Since the SP, BSP, RLD became partners, the BJP is facing an unprecedented crisis. It has given the BJP a stomach ache, which won’t go away anytime soon.”
Calling Modi a “180 degree prime minister”, the SP chief said, “Modi does the exact opposite of what he says. He had promised to double farmers’ income, but it has been reduced to half. He had promised to create 2 crore jobs, but in reality, has made two crore people jobless.”