Akhilesh clinging to whatever support he gets to retain power, says Modi

The PM trained his guns on the state government for failing to maintain law and order

Launching a scathing attack on the Akhilesh Yadav government for "doing nothing" to develop the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the chief minister was desperately seeking whatever support is coming his way to retain power.

The wave of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is so strong that the Uttar Pradesh chief minister is grabbing whatever support he gets as he fears of being washed out, the prime minister said at an election rally in Aligarh, taking a dig at the Samajwadi Party-Congress (SP-Congress) poll alliance.

Using his signature style of coining acronyms to assert that BJP will bring "Vikas" which stands for 'Vidyut' (electricity), 'Kanoon' (law and order) and 'Sadak' (roads) if elected, he trained his guns on the state government for failing to maintain law and order, saying women cannot venture outside their homes after the sun sets.

He said political parties were against him because they know that "if Modi gets majority in Rajya Sabha, the government will make such rules that the corrupt will be caught. So, they are afraid... I am tightening the screws to teach those supporting black money a lesson."

Attacking the SP government, Modi said, "Past governments in UP worked in such a manner that it led to the closure of famous Aligarh lock industry as they could not provide enough electricity."

Mocking the state government, Modi said if electricity was supplied, people can enjoy that power. Ironically, the prime minister had taken a similar jibe during his election campaign for Bihar last year.

He attacked the state government for "doing nothing for development" and accused it of neither checking corruption, casteism and nepotism, nor clearing the cane farmers' dues.

"Youths were asked to pay bribe and bring recommendations for interviews by MLAs and Ministers. Poor have to mortgage land and assets to pay. This has to be stopped. Our central government had stopped interviews for class three and four. The selection has been computerised on the basis of marks earned by a candidate," the Prime Minister said.

He said people will be surprised to know that what magic Modi has done which has resulted in Rs 10000 crore of annual saving. "By introducing cheap LED bulbs, we have reduced electricity bills," Modi said.

Hitting out at the Opposition for saying there was lack of planning by the government regarding its demonetisation decision, he defended the move saying there was sufficient planning for note ban to find out the details of all the money being deposited in the banks.