Mayawati, Akhilesh accuse Modi of selling ‘false dreams’

VARANASI: In yet another personal attack on the PM, BSP chief Mayawati today said how can one expect Narendra Modi to respect women when he cannot do so for his wife. Addressing an election rally here along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RLD’s Ajit Singh, Mayawati targeted Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, saying the “government of guru and chela (disciple)” would be ousted from power on May 23

BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav wave at supporters at a rally in Varanasi on Thursday. PTI

Varanasi, May 16

In yet another personal attack on the PM, BSP chief Mayawati today said how can one expect Narendra Modi to respect women when he cannot do so for his wife.

Addressing an election rally here along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RLD’s Ajit Singh, Mayawati targeted Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, saying the “government of guru and chela (disciple)” would be ousted from power on May 23, the day results of Lok Sabha poll would be announced.

The BSP again alleged that women in the BJP were scared of their husbands meeting the PM fearing they might also “abandon their wives”.

“With polling drawing to end, Modi now remembers women and talks about giving them respect....How can one expect Modi, who cannot respect his wife, to do so for mothers and sisters,” Mayawati said.

She alleged Modi is also “troubling” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In a press statement earlier this week, Mayawati had said, “I have come to know that in BJP, women leaders get scared when they see their husbands going near PM Modi. They fear that like Modi they might also abandon their wives.”

“Under such circumstances, I request all women of the country not to vote for such a person. This will also be their real respect to the deserted wife of Modiji,” she had said.

Addressing the rally in Varanasi, the BSP chief also questioned the prime minister on his caste.

She claimed Modi has “lost his sleep” after it became clear that the BSP-SP-RLD grand-alliance was winning.

Varanasi, where Modi is pitted against alliance candidate Shalini Yadav, goes to the polls in the seventh and last phase on May 19.

Addressing the rally, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said after May 23, the country would get a new PM. He accused Modi of selling “false dreams” to the people and then “betraying” them.

He said the BJP and Modi had promised to transform Varanasi into Kyoto (city of Japan), but failed. Modi was also unable to clean the river Ganga, Yadav alleged. He also criticised the BJP government in the state over encounter killings of history-sheeters.

RLD chief Ajit Singh alleged Modi had failed to provide jobs to youths and bulldozed institutions such as the CBI and the RBI. — PTI