Gorakhpur(UP): Narendra Modi today took on the “father-son” duo of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying the ruling SP had “destroyed” Uttar Pradesh and asked its supremo whether he knew the meaning of converting his state to Gujarat.
Modi, the BJP prime ministerial candidate, also sharpened his attack on the Congress, observing that the country was not poor but has been kept poor because of the misdeeds of political parties like it for sake of politics.
He said the people of the country have already decided the result of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and that “farewell” of Congress and its allies was certain.
Addressing a large rally in this eastern UP town, the BJP leader heaped scorn on Mulayam for saying he(Modi) will not be able to convert UP into Gujarat.
“Netaji, do you know the meaning of converting to Gujarat? It means 24-hour electricity in every village and street. You can't do it. It requires 56-inch chest,” Modi said, apparently suggesting that it requires decisiveness.
Mulayam, who also addressed a rally today in Varanasi, tore into Modi over the 2002 riots in Gujarat, taunting him that he won't be able to turn UP into Gujarat.
He said the Gujarat Chief Minister has the “blood of innocents” on his hands.
Modi said Gujarat had been living a life of “peace and harmony” for the last 10 years which was beyond Mulayam, whom he referred as ‘netaji' in his address.
Taunting Mulayam and Akhilesh for holding rallies which coincide with his public addresses, he said, “the father and the son are chasing me.”
If elected to power, BJP government will bring about a “white-revolution” in UP which despite being an agriculture state was buying milk from outside, Modi said in his 45-minute address.
Stressing the need for giving priority to agriculture in the country, he said BJP had vowed to develop UP which was capable of changing the face of the country if developed to its potential.
Modi, who addressed the rally shortly after Mulayam's rally, said the SP had “destroyed” the state by squandering its big mandate in the 2012 assembly polls by not delivering peace, jobs to the youth and progress to farmers.
Modi also hit out at Congress for ‘chai-wala' barbs, saying the ruling party was mocking at the poor whom it has used only as a vote-bank without doing anything for them.
“This country is not poor. The people of this rich country has been kept poor for the sake of politics... You give me 60 months and I promise you a life of happiness and peace,” he added.
