"Till my death neither will I leave Kashi nor its people will leave me," PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh polls in Varanasi today that "rivals prayed" for his death. "We have seen how low people have stooped in Indian politics, but when in Kashi, they prayed for my death, I felt elated," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI at a rally in his parliamentary constituency.
"This meant that till my death neither will I leave Kashi nor its people will leave me," PM Modi added, reported ANI.
The swipe was at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who had directed a barb at the Prime Minister over his many official functions in Varanasi last year, before the elections were announced and Model Code of Conduct came into play.
Critics said the functions were being used to spread the BJP's political message ahead of the elections.
Asked about reports of a month-long celebration involving PM Modi, Akhilesh Yadav had pointedly said, "It is good. They can stay there not just for one month, but even two or three months. That is the right place to stay. People spend their last days in Banaras (Varanasi)."
The reference was to the Hindu belief that it is auspicious to spend one's last days in Banaras, otherwise known as Kashi.
The comment was slammed by BJP leaders.
The Lok Sabha constituency of the Prime Minister since 2014, Varanasi goes to polls in the last phase of assembly elections on March 7. There are five assembly constituencies under the parliamentary seat -- Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, Sevapuri and Rohaniya.
In the 2017 assembly election, Apna Dal (Sonelal) won one seat and the BJP the remaining 4.
Addressing booth-level workers of the BJP in Varanasi today, the Prime Minister also targeted the opposition Samajwadi Party, alleging that terrorists operated during its rule without any fear.
The brunt of the BJP attack has been borne by the Samajwadi Party, which has emerged as its big challenger in the largest and most populous state that is seen as the gateway to Delhi.
Earlier too, PM Modi had accused the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of being soft on terror. Speaking at a rally in Hardoi earlier this month, he accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of seeking to withdraw cases against terrorists.
"The attitude of the leaders of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress has been even more alarming. These people address a terrorist like Osama as 'ji'. These people shed tears over the elimination of terrorists in Batla House encounter," he had said.