UP elections 2017: PM Narendra Modi said in Meerut 'UP has to vote out SCAM'
Addressing his first election rally in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Samajwadi Party, Congress and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party of corruption and said the UP elections are BJP's fight against 'SCAM'. "By scam I mean, S - Samajwadi (Party), C - Congress, A - Akhilesh (Yadav), M - Mayawati," the PM said to cheering crowds in Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh.
"Till the time you don't vote SCAM out, UP will not see good days. These people don't want to help UP, they just want to save their government,"
PM Modi told the huge gathering at the BJP's Parivartan rally.
Targeting the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, the PM said that till a few months ago the Congress was taking out rallies across Uttar Pradesh and accusing the ruling Samajwadi Party of corruption and neglecting farmers, but the two have now "embraced each other".
"What changed overnight that the two arch rivals embraced each other? This is to save themselves. Those cannot save themselves, how would they save Uttar Pradesh?" the PM asked.
The PM had started his near hour-long speech by likening his first election rally in Uttar Pradesh with India's first war of independence in 1857, saying it was a fight against the British then and now it is a battle against poverty and the state's rulers who have obstructed growth and development.
"I am fortunate to have stepped on the holy land of Meerut. The 1857 independence struggle began in Meerut. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to kick start my UP campaign from Meerut. That time the fight to remove British, this time its fight to remove poverty," the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister said despite Uttar Pradesh having so much potential for development, youth from the state were still being forced to look for employment opportunities in other states of India.
He said his government wanted "to do so much for Uttar Pradesh but could not because the state government has been obstructing" his developmental initiatives.
"Every initiative (of the central government for Uttar Pradesh) gets stuck in Lucknow," he said.
Uttar Pradesh will vote in seven phases from February 11 to March 8. Votes will be counted on March 11.
With inputs from IANS