Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stuck to the development agenda in water-scarce Bundelkhand, rapping the SP and the BSP for backwardness of the region and promised to transform it like Kutch in Gujarat. “SP and BSP have ignored Bundelkhand over the years and these elections are crucial for Bundelkhand... It has to decide whether it has to get rid of SP, BSP,” Modi said at an election rally in Orai region of Jalaun in Bundelkhand region.
“In five years, we will transform Bundelkhand, which has not seen any development in the last 70 years...Mineral-rich Bundelkhand can change the fate of Uttar Pradesh, illegal mining has to be stopped and the satellite launched by India can be used to check the clandestine activities… Some believe nothing can be done in Bundelkhand...It can be made No.1 in the state...There is Kutch district in Gujarat...20 years ago if any government staff was posted there, it was considered ‘kala pani’ (Andaman’s Cellular Jail),” he said.
Modi exuded confidence that the BJP-Apna Dal alliance would form the next Government in UP. Addressing a rally in Andhawa, 40 kms from the city, Modi also mocked at the SP-Congress alliance, recalling the “27 saal, UP behaal”
Modi also mocked at Mayawati’s opposition to note ban, saying the BSP is no longer Bahujan Samaj Party but ‘Behenji Sampatti Party’. The PM said those who deposit wealth for themselves can never solve the problems of people. “Where has Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) reached today...When I announced note ban on November 8 last year, arch-rivals SP and BSP, who never see eye-to-eye, came together...I was amazed when I launched war against corruption and asked for the details of black money.
They came together and all including the Congress started speaking the same language,” Modi said.
The main concern of the parties in Uttar Pradesh was not note ban but that they did not get enough time to stash away the ill-gotten money. “Behenji (Mayawati) alleges that Government was ill-prepared... Was it the Government or it was you who was not prepared...She said one week should have been given (before implementing note ban)...Mulayam also said the same,” he said.
“Money started being deposited in banks all of a sudden (after note ban) and (Mayawati) started shouting as why is it only at election time that the account of her brother has been made public...Why is it being discussed that Rs100 crore have been deposited,” he said.
“I have said SCAM stood for SP, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati...There is a leader who is seeing honesty and service in scam and had said for us scam is ‘seva’ do you need such serviceIJ You have an opportunity in this election to throw out SCAM from Bundelkhand,” he said, without naming Rahul Gandhi.