Prime Minister Narendra Modi is often seen and heard using acronyms for everything- from his development vision to scathing attack on opponents. His Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) takes the cue and comes up with its own acronyms and the fresh from the basket is “KASAB.”
In a fresh round of attacks on the opponents, BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday termed opponents - Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party - as KASAB, 26/11 Mumbai attacker, and urged the people of Uttar Pradesh to get rid of them.
“In this election, people of UP should get rid of Kasab. I say it again, people of UP should get rid of Kasab in this election. By KASAB, I mean KA for congress, SA for Samajwadi Party and B for BSP (Ye Uttar Pradesh ki janata is baar ke chunav mein is Kasab se mukti paa le. Main phir se bolta hu Uttar Pradesh ki janata is baar ke chunav mein is Kasab se mukti paa le. Kasab se mera matlab kuch aur mat nikaliyega. Kasab se mera matlab hai- KA se congress, SA se Samajwadi Party aur B se BSP)."
"Until you finish off KASAB, development and prosperity will continue to elude Uttar Pradesh," Shah said at an election rally in Gorakhpur's Chauri Chaura.
"In other words, it means that the state may have to languish further, if there is no respite from these political parties," he said.
Shah made these comments while seeking to draw a parallel between the rival parties and the Mumbai attack perpetrator Ajmal Amir Kasab.
Kasab was a Pakistani terrorist and was part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group that had attacked Mumbai in 2008, resulting in the death of 166 people. Kasab was the only attacker captured alive by police and was hanged in 2012 after a four-year long trial.
Elections are being held for as many as 403 constituencies of UP in seven phases. The last phase is on March 8. Three phases of voting have already taken place and polling for fourth phase will take place on Thursday.
The Assembly elections in five states, including in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh has been marred with political attacks and creative acronyms.
Earlier this month, Modi had referred to opposition as "SCAM".
"SCAM stands for SP, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati," Modi said in his election rally in Bundelkhand as he appealed to the voters to get rid of them.
Congress vice President Rahul Gandhi and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who are fighting the elections together in alliance, got back at him with their own versions of "SCAM" acronyms.
While Akhilesh said "SCAM" meant 'Save Country from Amit Shah and Modi' Rahul redefined SCAM as Seva (S), Courage (C), Ability (A), Modesty (M).
Just two days ago, the Prime Minister termed Maywati's BSP as "Behenji Sampatti Party", to which she responded with her own meaning of the initials of Narendra Damodardas Modi.
“Narendra Damodardas Modi stands for "Negative Dalit Man. He (Modi) is anti-dalit...this negative dalit man does not like that common people to give small contributions in running the BSP movement which is also run through donations," Mayawati said.
Yesterday, Mayawati mocked BJP as "Bhartiya Jumla Party."
"BJP is now referred as Bhartiya Jumla Party not only in Uttar Pradesh but also outside the state," the former Uttar Pradesh CM said.
Amit Shah's "KASAB" is just the latest in the long line of acronyms in this election. With campaigning for three phases of UP Assembly elections still underway, expect many more to come.
Amit Shah exudes confidence in BJP's victory
The BJP President exuded confidence that the party would storm to power in Uttar Pradesh with two-thirds majority.
"Voters of the state are fed up with misrule under successive SP and BSP governments, which lasted for nearly 14 years, and they are desperately seeking a change," he said.
Taking a jibe at UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, he said, "Akhilesh says 'kaam boltaa hai (performance speaks), but no work appears to have been done so far. But, the state has emerged as number one in terms of crime against women, rape, loot and hooliganism."
Shah claimed that SP already knew it was fighting a losing battle in the UP polls, and hence it went for a pre-poll alliance with the Congress.
"If the state government had done something concrete and was confident about its performance, there would have been no need for alliance (with Congress)," he said.
He also termed Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh as two princes -- one giving tough times to his mother and the other to his father. And the voters of UP are feeling troubled by both of them, Shah added.
