Akhilesh Yadav's jibe at Modi: People stay in Kashi when end is near

In a loaded remark on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav taunted him, saying people stay in Kashi when the end is near.

"It is good," he said when asked by reporters that the PM is in Varanasi and the government has planned month-long cultural events to mark the event.

"Why only a month? He should stay for two months, three months. That is a good place to stay. When the end is near, people stay in Banaras," he said.

The elections to the UP Assembly are due within three months and the SP claims that it will oust the BJP from power. In Hindu religion, spending last days of life in Kashi is considered auspicious.

Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of Modi and part of the Purvanchal region, which has 160 seats in the 403-member UP Legislative Assembly.

Yadav also took a swipe at the BJP, saying they should "avoid telling lies" before the god.

"They are good at telling lies in front of you and me. But, one should avoid telling lies in front of the god," he said.

He hit out at the BJP for claiming the credit of developmental works, which he claimed were done by his government.

On Sunday, Akhilesh had claimed that it was during his tenure that the Kashi Vishwanath corridor project was approved, for which he has "documentary evidence".

The Samajwadi Party was in power in the state from 2012 to 2017.