PM Modi' used Lucknow visit to strengthen BJP's hold in UP: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday dubbed Prime Minister's visit to Lucknow for Dussehra celebrations as a politically astute attempt to strengthen the BJP's hold in Uttar Pradesh before next year's assembly polls.

NCP leader Majid Memon told ANI, "Dussehra is more or less a religious function. But why did the Prime Minister chose Lucknow and not any other place? As rightly said, if there would have been elections in Bihar, he would have chosen Bihar."

"PM Modi selected Lucknow because there are elections around the corner and this fact cannot be denied. It was a politically motivated movement for the purpose of trying to strengthen the BJP and to garner votes. So, therefore, fundamentally, it is an absolutely political motivated move," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday celebrated Dussehra in Lucknow at the historic Aishbagh Ramleela Ground.

He was accompanied by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

At the event, he denounced terrorism and in an indirect way attacked Pakistan for supporting terrorism.

Dubbing terrorism as an "enemy of humanity", Prime Minister Modi called for combating the menace unitedly.

Addressing a gathering, Modi said, "We cannot save humanity unless we fight out terrorism collectively. There is an urgent need to uproot and punish the elements that promote and indulge in terrorist activities."

"This festival is about the victory of good over evil and terrorism is an enemy of humanity. Everyone needs to speak in one voice against terrorism. So, when we burn Ravana, we should remember that humanity can't be saved unless we fight out terrorism together," he added.

"Elements involved in terrorist activities should be uprooted and destroyed. And, at the same time, the powers backing terrorist activities should be punished," he said.