"It is now clear that the permission was denied due to political reasons and not for security reasons," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said. Kejriwal yesterday led a massive roadshow from Banaras Hindu University Gate in Lanka area to Town Hall in Maidagin area, while Modi had drove through with his motorcade from BHU to Sigra a day before.
Rai has also got support from Muslim strongman Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal, although the two leaders have a long history of rivalry and have long been known as sworn enemies.
Raising the poll heat here, SP leader and UP chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also had one roadshow, while AAP leader Kumar Vishwas conducted one after Kejriwal's got cancelled.
Other Congress leaders present in roadshow included Madhusudan Mistry, Nagma, CP Joshi and Raj Babbar, as also Congress candidate from here Ajay Rai. Later addressing a rally in the neighbouring constituency of Chandauli, Gandhi said Gandhi does not understand the strength of India and its people and practiced politics of anger.
Attacking him on the snoopgate issue, Gandhi advised Modi to change slogans on his posters where it was promised that he would give power to women, as "he was the person sending police after women and tapping their phone in Gujarat."
He took pot-shots at Modi for his alleged links to Gujarat-based industrial house Adanis. "We (Congress) want to fulfil your dream. He (Modi) shows dream to Adani," Gandhi said, but clarified that Congress was not against industrialists.
"If the country has to move forward, then there has to be partnership between industrialists and labourers. Everybody will be part of the development, labourers, farmers and workers," he said.
Gandhi said that BJP leaders' speeches were "full of anger, but India works on love and not on anger." "India is for everybody. It is for Hindus, Muslims, Sikh and Christians. It belongs to every caste and community, poor and rich people and it will remain for everybody."
On Modi, he said, "Few days back, I saw a poster in Delhi which had Modji's image and it was written that "Mahilaon ko main shakti doonga". Me, not we, only me." "He (Modi) comes to you and says, you have not done anything. Nothing happened in India for the last 60 years. He asks farmers, workers, what have you done. Says India was sleeping.
