UP Polls: PM Modi was addressing a physical rally in Kasganj.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the BJP's flag was flying high after the first round of voting in Uttar Pradesh and asked people not to vote for the 'dynasts' who intend to stop the government's welfare schemes for the poor if they come to power.
PM Modi was addressing a physical rally in Kasganj district which will vote in the third phase of the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on February 20.
In an apparent dig at the Samajwadi Party, PM Modi said, "The dynastic leaders are so desperate that they have made up their mind to stop all the schemes (of BJP government) which are run for the poor. Hence, these people should never be given an opportunity." Urging the people of Uttar Pradesh to "remain alert", he said, "The blessings and love that you have showered on Modi and Yogi ji, have robbed these pariwarvadis (dynasts) of their sleep. No matter how much efforts they made to divide you on the basis of caste, they have failed." These "dynasts" filled their coffers, but were never bothered about the poor. They do not the lives of the poor to become easy, he said.
Taking a jibe at the political rivals, PM Modi said after the first round of voting in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP's flag is flying high while its rivals are disappointed.
"In all the interviews given by the leaders of opposition parties, they have a long face... Even those who are staunch dynasts have realised this. Hence, they have started raising questions over the EVMs and Election Commission," PM Modi said.
They will have plenty of time to badmouth the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after March 10 when results will be declared, he said.
PM Modi also accused them of trying to sabotage the central government's Covid vaccination drive.
"These rumourmongers made every effort to ensure that free Covid vaccines are not administered to poor families. But the government did not allow them to succeed," PM Modi said.
Showering praises on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, PM Modi said, everybody would appreciate that even his opponents cannot level corruption charges against him.
He also hailed Adityanath's announcement to name a roundabout in Ayodhya after iconic singer Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on February 6, and termed it as an example of "unity of India".
"Lata Mangeshkar ji, who has her ancestral home in Goa, was a devotee of Lord Ram and sang many devotional songs praising him. A roundabout will be named after her in Ayodhya. This is the unity of India. I congratulate the Yogi government for this decision," he said.
The prime minister also lauded the women for turning up in large numbers to vote in the first phase.
"Yesterday, voting for the first phase in UP took place. People came out in large numbers from their homes and voted for the lotus (BJP's poll symbol) for the development of UP and to keep it safe. Our mothers, sisters and daughters have voted in large numbers," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)