Narendra Modi campaigned as Varanasi's MP, not as Prime Minister: Amit Shah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's massive campaign in his constituency Varanasi garnered criticism from the opposing leaders who called it an 'act of desperation' and highly 'unbecoming of the Prime Minister of the nation'.

Supporting his party supremo, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Monday said Prime Minister Modi did it as Varanasi's MP and not as the nation's topmost leader.

"How can somebody call an MP communicating with his voters in his constituency at the time elections an act of desperation? That is the duty of the Prime Minister as an MP. Kashi is the centre of 40 seats and his constituency," Shah told ANI News Editor Smita Prakash in an exclusive interview on his way to Somnath.

Justifying the Prime Minister's prominent role in campaigning, Shah said being the topmost leader it was the duty of the former to lead the party from the front.

Taking a jibe at former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the BJP president said due to the former's rule of 10 years, people have become accustomed to a Prime Minister who is unable to mark his presence.

"Actually, due to Manmohan Singh's rule for 10 years, you people have become accustomed to a Prime Minister who cannot attract crowd in his gathering. Our Prime Minister is popular. People want to listen to him," he said.

Responding to a poser on the entire top brass involved in campaigning in Varanasi, Shah said not all the ministers were in Kashi, adding that their idea is to communicate with all the voters.

"Every election is very prestigious for us. Election, for the BJP, is not only for winning, but also a festival of democracy. We try to make our ideology reach every person. We believe it is the responsibility of every political party to communicate with every voter and all parties should fulfill it," he said.

"Not all the ministers were in Kashi. We were there because we had to land in Kashi in order to go to other places," he said.

The ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will come to an end with its seventh-phase being held on March 8.

The counting will take place on March 11.