New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday - two days after a survey by a United States-based firm said he had again topped world leaders' approval ratings - declaring "we know many who are number one in the world... who will believe all that?"
"You give money to a company and that company will tell you, 'You are number one in the world'. Who will believe that?" the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).
READ | PM Modi Tops Global Leaders' List Again, Gets Highest Rating Of 76%: Survey
According to US-based Morning Consult's 'Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker', as of last week 76 per cent of people in India approve of the Prime Minister's leadership. Only 18 per cent disapproved.
In (a distant) second was Mexico President Andres Manuel Obrador with a 66 per cent rating, while United States President Joe Biden had only 37 and the United Kingdom's Rishi Sunak had a low 25.
The PM has often topped rankings by Morning Consult, which is valued at over a billion dollars.
The favourable scores for the Prime Minister came soon after his BJP registered wins in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections; the wins were seen as a huge boost for the PM and the party ahead of next year's general election, in which he will bid for a third term.
Addressing a party event, Mr Yadav also took a dig at the government over the perennial controversy surrounding EVMs, or electronic voting machines, which erupts after every election.
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"The rest of the world (and the) number one country votes through ballot. Yes, if you want to become number one in the world, then copy it and let us vote on ballot papers, then we will agree."
The jibe was an echo of one made last week, in which he said EVMs had created "distrust". Referring to the US - in which elections are held on ballot papers - Mr Yadav said if India planned to follow the US "on burgers, pizzas, and jeans", then the Americans use of ballot paper should also copied.
READ | Machines Create Distrust, Should Use Ballot Papers: Akhilesh Yadav
"(In) the most powerful country in the world - America - months are spent for counting. Over 140 crore people decide (this) country's future. Why do you want results in three hours?" he had said.
The comment comes after other opposition leaders, including the Congress' Digvijaya Singh, cast doubts over credibility of EVMs. Mr Singh alleged hacking of the machines by a party "functionary".
READ | `Digvijaya Singh Claims 'BJP Leader' Knew Results 2 Days Before Counting
The BJP had dismissed the claims as the complaints of a defeated part. Senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya declared "they (the Congress) will now target EVMs (and the) poll panel (the Election Commission)". Outgoing Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra also hit out.
Controversy over EVMs has rumbled on a long time and was flagged in the Supreme Court ahead and after this round of elections too; last year the court rejected a plea challenging the validity of the law that led to the introduction of EVMs. And, in August Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal told Parliament there is no proposal, at this stage, to return to paper ballots before next year's general election.
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