BSP will take power in UP; SP-Congress and BJP fighting for 2nd position: Mayawati

Mayawati also slammed Modi for terming political rivals as corrupt. Photo: ABP News

LUCKNOW:  The BSP will form the next government in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance at the second and third places, BSP chief Mayawati said on Monday. "They (BJP and SP-Congress alliance) have realised that the BSP will form the government and they have to fight each other for the second and third spot," she told the media here. The former Chief Minister said the Modi government had again increased the prices of cooking gas, knowing well that it was their first and last term in power. Mayawati also took swipe at Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, saying the 'guru' and 'chela' had realised that their political career were coming to an end. "The 'guru' and 'chela' have even played the communal card as a last resort to win the UP election," she said, adding Modi was doing roadshows as if he was the undeclared chief ministerial candidate of the BJP. Terming the November 8 demonetisation a "half-cooked decision", she said it was "undemocratic" and exposed the "anti-poor" mindset of the central government. Mayawati also slammed Modi for terming political rivals as corrupt. "The prime minister says that politicians and babus have looted the nation in the past 70 years but he has not dared to bring Lokpal to counter these ills as he knows that Lokpal's first target can be their own government and it could bring an end to their autocratic style of functioning," she claimed.

Mayawati said that Modi has made a trend of showing himself as the upright and honest and till he was the chief minister of Gujarat, he did not appoint the Lokayukata there. She further alleged that there is a policy of "kaam kam aur batey adhik" (less work and more talks) at the Centre and as a result of that, the prime minister has not been able to fulfil the promises he made to the people of his own constituency (Varanasi), due to which the BJP is forced to wander in the streets there. "The state of the promise to clean the Ganga is for all to see...like the Congress, this government has spent millions on it...the question is who will probe this corruption," she asked. During his visit to Varanasi today, Modi made an impassioned plea to voters to defeat the SP-Congress combine and the BSP, blaming these parties for the plight of the state while addressing a rally at Khushipur village in Rohaniya assembly segment near here. On the BJP's promise of closing down slaughter houses if it comes to power in the state, Mayawati claimed this issue has also been communally exploited as everyone is aware that in the BJP-ruled states, the slaughter houses are being run by people from various communities and even the BJP people are involved in it. "They have also tried to exploit Hindu and Muslim festivals...this is part of (their) ghinauni (disgusting) politics," she said. Mayawati also slammed Modi for his claims that he has seen poverty, saying that had this been a reality then the prime minister would not have taken the "immature decision" of demonetisation. "As many as 125 crore people have been forced to bear the immense hardships for his (Modi) own satisfaction and to prove that he is honest...," she said. Hitting out at the ruling SP government in the state, the BSP chief said in the party's five-year tenure, it was "kaam kam aur apradh zyada bolta hai" (crime speaks more than the works) and people will punish them for it.