Opposition's only agenda is to defeat Modi: UP deputy CM

Accusing SP, BSP and Congress of practising nepotism, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Friday said these parties were contesting the elections only to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sharma made the comments while addressing public meetings in Fatehpur Sikri, Aonla and Mainpuri, a BJP release said.

Polling will be held in Fatehpur Sikri in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 18 and it will held in Aonla and Mainpuri in the third phase on April 23.

"SP, BSP and Congress are parties that practise nepotism. While Akhilesh had sidelined his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati has brought her nephew into the party," the release quoted Sharma as saying.

"Contrary to this, no one in BJP knows who will be the next party president," Sharma said.

"On one hand, there is Modi, whose family is not taking any benefits and on the other there are parties that are in politics to promote their families only," he added.

The deputy chief minister alleged that the opposition parties did not have an agenda.

"These parties are contesting only to defeat Modiji in these elections," Sharma said.

He also hit out at Congress for attacking the government over alleged irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France.

A person whose "entire family is out on bail" is making absurd allegations, he said, alluding to Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Sharma claimed that the SP-BSP alliance was focused only on a particular section of society, but BJP cared for all.

"While BSP leader appeals to a particular section to vote only for the alliance, our prime minister talks of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. This is the basic difference between them and BJP, which cares for everyone irrespective of their caste or religion," he said.