UP Elections 2017: State Government Not Letting My Work Show, Says PM Narendra Modi

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Uttar Pradesh government had been blocking all the efforts of the Centre to develop the state - to the extent of not allowing a Ring Road around Varanasi. The ancient temple town, he told the people, should be modern but at the same time retain its heritage, but the state government was not cooperating. "The Uttar Pradesh government is not letting my work show... it has not been able to utilise the funds given by Centre," he said.  

After a 5-km roadshow, the Prime Minister's rally in Varanasi - the second in as many days - was held a day before the curtain comes down on campaigning for the seventh and final phase of the crucial election, in which the BJP hopes to wrest power from the ruling Samajwadi Party government.  

Beginning his speech with a chant of "Har Har Mahadev" -- a nod to the city's ruling deity -- the Prime Minister hit out repeatedly at the state's Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance and the BSP. "Our mantra is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' but the SP, BSP and the Congress believes in 'Kucch Ka Sasth, Kucch Ka Hi Vikas' (development for only a few)," he said.

The Congress, SP and the BSP have alleged that the continued focus on Varanasi only betrays the BJP's nervousness about the contests in the high-profile constituency, which elected the Prime Minister in the 2014 general elections. In 2012, the party had won only three of the five assembly constituencies that comprise PM Modi's parliamentary seat. The Samajwadi Party had won the other two.

While admitting that the Prime Minister is taking a strategic risk by deepening his campaign footprint, the BJP said it stepped up campaign after Phase four of the elections as it plans to win 70 of the 89 seats that will vote in the last two phases.

With Varanasi symbolising the battle for eastern Uttar Pradesh, PM Modi reminded his audience at the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith that the "eastern part of India has to scale new heights of development". Speaking specifically of Uttar Pradesh, he said "this part of the state" is blessed with very talented people and its "potential for development is immense".

Earlier, the narrow streets of the temple town turned into a sea of saffron flags as the Prime Minister held his roadshow. From an open top vehicle, PM Modi waved to flag carrying supporters as they chanted his name.

Along with the Prime Minister's rally yesterday, which the BJP has called "impromptu", the town witnessed a joint roadshow of Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi. Mayawati, too, held a rally at the outskirts of the city in the afternoon.