Modi resorting to despicable politics, says Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati Tuesday accused Narendra Modi of linking the "low-level politics" accusation hurled at him by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to "lower caste", saying the BJP was facing dim prospects in Uttar Pradesh and was resorting to "despicable" politics.

Talking to media persons here, Mayawati launched a blistering attack on Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Modi over his repeated references to his "lower caste" identity during rallies to counter Priyanka Gandhi's accusations.

"What the Congress said was that he was playing low-level politics. He tried to reap benefits out of it throughout the day today (Tuesday). He is doing despicable politics in the garb of this issue," the Bahujan Samaj Party leader said.

She said the Congress should have given a resounding reply to Modi but did not do so do as it felt the Bahujan Samaj Party would be damaged in the process.

She also accused the Samajwadi Party of being silent on the issue.

Mayawati said she wanted to tell Modi that "low-level politics does not mean a particular caste". "It means cheap kind of politics," she said.

Mayawati's attack on Modi came a day before 15 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh got to the polls.

The BSP leader said that while Modi is saying he belongs to a backward class, he has not disclosed his caste.

"This means he does not belong to backward classes. Even if we accept that he belongs to a backward class, I want to ask the BJP what it has done for the backward community," Mayawati said.

She also accused the BJP of being "anti-Dalit".

Modi in his speeches Tuesday said he was born in a lower caste but has never been involved in "low-level politics".

"They are not able to come to terms with the truth, so they (Congress) said it is politics of a lower class person. I cannot deny I am from a lower caste, but it is not a crime to be lower caste. I can assure the nation my politics is not low level," Modi said in one of his rallies.

The comment came after Priyanka Gandhi's remark Monday that the BJP's prime ministerial candidate had insulted her "martyred" father Rajiv Gandhi, and the Congress booth workers in Amethi will give a reply to the "low-level politics".