Modi's 'chowkidari' making the rich wealthier: Mayawati

BSP supremo Mayawati targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, alleging that his "chowkidari" was making the rich wealthier and protecting industrialists, while asserting that his "theatrics and rhetoric" would not yield any result in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a rally at the Ramleela Maidan in GTB Enclave of northeast Delhi in support of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates fielded in the national capital, she said even under the previous Congress governments, no development work was carried out for the minorities, Dalits and backward castes and there was a status quo under the BJP regime.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister arrived at the venue almost two-and-a-half hours late to chants of "Jai Bhim" and "BSP zindabad". A Bhojpuri song -- "Behen Kumari Mayawati ne PM banawange -- was played before her arrival as also after she ended her address.

"The BJP will be voted out of power because of its RSS ideology, capitalist, communal, casteist policies and style of functioning.

"Their 'natakbazi' (theatrics) and 'jumlebazi' rhetoric will not work. This chowkidari (guarding) is their new tactic which will not be able to save them," Mayawati said at the rally.

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised "achhe din" (good days) and "countless things" to the weak, poor, middle-class and hard-working people, she said, "But he is using his 'chowkidari' to make big industrialists richer and protect them at every stage."