LUCKNOW: BSP chief Mayawati Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi included his caste in the backward category during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister to derive electoral profit.
Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said, "Like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Narendra Modi was not born in backward caste. When he was Gujarat chief minister, he got his upper caste included in the backward category to derive political benefit during elections."
She said the BJP's Dalit-backward card was not working in Uttar Pradesh.
The BSP supremo's comments came hours after Modi slammed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, saying the tie-up of "opportunists" wants a helpless government because its mantra is "jaat, paat japna; janata ka maal apna".
Modi addressed election rallies in Kannauj, a SP stronghold, Hardoi and Sitapur.
Dubbing the alliance as 'mahamilavati (highly adulterated) opportunists', Modi said in Kannauj that he doesn't believe in politics of caste.
"Mayawatiji (BSP chief), I am most backward. I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family," he said.
"This country didn't know my caste till my detractors abused me. I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji (SP chief), Congress people and the 'mahamilavatis' that they are discussing my caste. I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," the PM said.