Modi takes a dig at SP-Congress alliance, says no development in UP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took a dig at the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh and reminded people of a past remark of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi that there was no development in the state.

Addressing a gathering here, the Prime Minister referred to Rahul Gandhi's 'Khaat Sabha' in the state last year -- before the two parties sewed up a pre-poll alliance for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections -- and said the Gandhi family scion had rapped the state government for the poor power situation during one such event in Madihan.

Responding to the Chief Minister's jibe on electricity supply in the state, Modi said: "Akhilesh Yadav asked me to touch wires to check where there is electricity supply or not. But I would like to remind him about one remark of his new friend Rahul Gandhi, who coined the slogan of '27 Saal, UP Behaal' and said there are electricity wires but no electricity."

"In that 'Khaat Sabha', Rahul ji accidentally touched a wire and Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad asked him to take care," Modi said, adding that Gandhi replied that 'nothing to worry; this is UP. Here, no electricity is supplied!'"

Modi said it is strange that "the two leaders were now in a tight hug".

Slamming the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Prime Minister said these three had plundered Uttar Pradesh, adding that they will get the shock of their lives when votes are counted on March 11.

Referring to two incomplete bridges in the region, the foundation stones of which were laid by then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav around 13 years back, Modi said the fact that these bridges were incomplete were pointers enough that all talk about development in UP is sham.

"People who are non-performers are now beating drums about their hollow work."

"Inka kaam nahin, karname bolte hain," he took another swipe at the Samjwadi Party on its slogan of 'Kaam bolta hai', wondering how a son who cannot finish the work left incomplete by his father could take care of the state.

Earlier, the Prime Minister began his speech by praising Goddess Vidhyanchal Devi, the reigning deity of Mirzapur. He also spoke a few sentences in Bhojpuri dialect, much to the delight of the audience.

--IANS

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