The last and seventh phase of the ongoing UP Assembly polls is going to be special. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency will go to the polls on March 7. Five Assembly constituencies are going to choose their MLAs- Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, Sevapuri and Rohaniya. And PM Modi was waiting for this phase.
Last year, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav had taken a barb at PM Modi’s official functions in Varanasi. And therefore, it was time for PM Modi to give a befitting reply. Expectedly, PM Modi did not miss the big opportunity.
What had Akhilesh Yadav said?
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor project. It was followed by a major outrage in the left-liberal political circles.
Read more: PM Modi’s Kashi Vishwanath Dham spectacle caused a juicy meltdown in the liberal camp
At that time, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav was asked about a month-long celebration involving the Prime Minister. The SP chief had replied, “It is good. They can stay there not just for one month, but even two or three months. That is the right place to stay. People spend their last days in Banaras (Varanasi).”
The remarks had angered BJP leaders, who then slammed the former UP Chief Minister’s remarks about PM Modi. However, PM Modi had then avoided giving any reply.
‘Neither will I leave Kashi nor its people will leave me’, says PM Modi
PM Modi knew exactly when to reply to the opposition’s remarks about functions in Varanasi. While campaigning for his party in Varanasi on Monday, PM Modi said that “rivals prayed” for his death. The Prime Minister added, “We have seen how low people have stooped in Indian politics, but when in Kashi, they prayed for my death, I felt elated.”
The Prime Minister added, “This meant that till my death neither will I leave Kashi nor its people will leave me.”
Varanasi opens the path to salvation
While addressing BJP workers, PM Modi also said that Banaras is a ‘living city’. Taking a jibe at the opposition, the Prime Minister added that Varanasi opens the path for salvation, but dynasts cannot understand that.
PM Modi also alleged, “Under the rule of dynasts, temples of Varanasi were looted by people and bombs use to explode at temple but nothing was done under the Samajwadi Party, which did everything to protect those accused of terrorism.”
PM Modi also talked about the development of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. He said that dynasts had neglected the ancient city, which is now changing.
The Prime Minister said, “After so many years, the Kashi Vishwanath temple has met the bank of river Ganga again. The double-engine government is taking UP to newer heights.”
PM Modi’s response to the jibe against his Varanasi visit year has come a bit late. But he ensured that his reply was completely devastating. The BJP already has a strong base in Varanasi. PM Modi has been elected from the constituency two times, and in the 2017 Assembly polls, BJP had won 4 out of 5 Assembly seats in Varanasi while the remaining one seat was won by Apna Dal (Sonelal).
PM Modi is eyeing a clean sweep in Varanasi this time around. So, it is no surprise that he kept his big political reply for the last phase of the UP polls.