UP polls: After Modi barbs, Mayawati, Akhilesh return fire

New Delhi: Political opponents UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati — under attack from their common enemy Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s barbs — returned fire, causing campaigning to reach a fever pitch on Monday.

Known for his caustic remarks and subtle humour, Mr Yadav asked filmstar Amitabh Bachchan to stop promoting “Gujarat’s donkeys”, in a reference to a tourism promotional advertisement featuring the actor, with several donkeys in the background.

“Ek gadhe ka vigyapan aata hai. Main iss sadi ke sabse bade mahanayak se kahunge ki ab aap Gujarat ke gadhon ka prachar mat kariye,” the SP chief said at a rally in Rae Bareli.

Meanwhile, after PM Modi called BSP “Behenji Sampatty Party” at Orai, Mayawati hit back in Sultanpur and said that the PM’s name — Narendra Damodardas Modi — actually stood for “Mr Negative Dalit Man.” She said that the PM was unaware that BSP “is a movement first and then a party.” She claimed to have dedicated her life “for making members of dalit, deprived and weaker sections and Muslims stand on their feet.”

Replying to Mr Modi’s jibe, she claimed that the dalits “consider me as a sampatti (asset) for them.” She accused the PM of being perturbed over the rising popularity of the BSP.

During his speech, Mr Yadav also attacked the PM for his “no electricity jibe”, and said, “Why don’t you swear on the Ganga and tell us...is the SP government giving 24-hour electricity in Varanasi or not?”

Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu came out in the PM’s support in Delhi and said, “He (Akhilesh Yadav) is disturbed. Hence he is using such a language and making such comments. He is insulting the people of Gujarat. I don’t know from where this ‘donkey comment came in between.”