From Modi to Mayawati, Rahul, a no-holds-barred war of words
NEWDELHI: Knives are out as campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh elections reaches a fever pitch with slogans emerging from the political battlefield ranging from whacky and acerbic to sharp attacks. Here’s a sample of what top leaders of the Samajwadi Party, Congress, BJP and Bahujan Samaj Party have been saying against one another:
BSP IS BEHENJI SAMPATI PARTY, SAYS MODI
Mocking at Mayawati’s opposition to note ban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said, “The BSP should be called the ‘Behenji Sampati Party’ (Mayawati’s Assets Party).” The BSP leader responded with a stinging barb. “Narendra Damodardas Modi means “Mr Negative Dalit Man,” she said.
MODI IS GABBAR SINGH OF SHOLAY: RAHUL
Criticising the NDA government’s decision to demonetise high-denomination notes, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi said, “After showing Achchhe Din to the people, he (PM) is acting like Gabbar Singh of Sholay and says he wants to fight corruption and turned your hard earned money into paper. Now people will take revenge”.
In another take on the PM, he said, “We threw out trash, Modi took the tainted leaders into the BJP”. Taking a jibe on the Gandhi scion, Modi said: “Mein Congress ke logon se kehta hoon: jabaan sambhaal kar rakho, warna mere paas aapki poori janampatri padi hui hai (hold your tongue, I have your entire horoscope). The PM also said Rahul was “the most joked about person on Google”. Retorting to the ‘janampatri’ comment, Rahul said, “You are the Prime Minister for over past two years...You can take out the janmapatri of Congress and go ahead with it.” Reacting to the ‘joker’ jibe, he said: “He likes to search Google and he can do so in his past time...but he has failed in his functions as PM...He will get a jolt from the results.”
PRIYANKA JOINS BROTHER IN SLUGFEST
Congress party’s star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined her brother in attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “adopted son” remark, saying, “UP does not need an outsider when it has its own to take it forward.”
PM TAKES A DIG AT UP CM AKHILESH
Questioning Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government’s claim on development, the PM said, “I’ll go to Lucknow to take a ride with Akhilesh on the metro. Let’s see if it runs”. He also lambasted the UP government by drawing a parallel between Hindu and Muslim festivals and accusing the administration of practising discrimination on the basis of religion.