UP Elections 2017: PM mocks Cong-SP alliance, Rahul says nervous Modi making up acronyms

 Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'SCAM' jibe, Rahul Gandhi today alleged that one who is in the wrong, sees scam in everything while ally and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the acronym stood for "save country from Amit Shah and Modi".

Addressing a joint rally here with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh, Rahul urged voters to ensure that the outcome of Bihar election is repeated, where BJP was trounced by a coalition led by Nitish Kumar. "Whenever Modi is nervous, he starts giving labels PPE, ABC, DEF, GHY. Now this SCAM.... A person, who is in the wrong, sees scam everywhere because this is his reality," he said, adding that the Congress-Samajwadi alliance in the state had made Modi jittery. "S infact stands for 'service', C for 'courage', A for 'ability' and M for 'modesty'," he said at the rally in government inter-collge ground here, giving his own coinage for the acronym.

Both Rahul and Akhilesh attacked PM Modi: 

Attacking Modi over note ban, the Congress vice president said, "Demonetisation has hurt the poor most. Do not raise these slogans (denouncing Modi) but vote for Congress-SP alliance and ensure that Modi never utters the name of Uttar Pradesh again, like he forgot to say Bihar after the Assembly elections there". Rahul said that Modi is "afraid of the youths, who will give a befitting response to him in UP elections as he gave the slogan of Make in India, made promises, but provided no jobs".

Akhilesh Yadav, who reached an hour ahead of Rahul, also took on the Prime Minister for his yesterday's SCAM taunt, where Modi had asked people of Uttar Pradesh to "rid the state of SCAM - S for Samajwadi (party), C for Congress, A for Akhilesh (Yadav) and M for Mayawati". The SP leader said, "SCAM means 'save the country from Amit Shah and Modi'. But why has Modi included 'bua' Mayawati's party as it was BJP which had thrice formed government with BSP and both of you have amiable ties." He alleged that the Modi government has given nothing to the people but false promises in its tenure while the Samajwadi Party had delivered in Uttar Pradesh. 

Hailing the Congress-SP tie-up, Akhilesh said, "A true friend is one who is big hearted. If you befriend a mean person, you will only suffer. We had an alliance with the Congress because both of us are large hearted. We are confident of forming a government in the state to complete the work left unfinished." The SP leader too raised the note ban issue, saying BJP should tell the country how much blackmoney has been unearthed.

"No  has returned, but people have died while standing in queues outside banks and ATMs. We gave Rs two lakh to families of these victims but the Centre did nothing," he said. "BJP leaders betray the people, they will show you dreams and will try to mislead you but do not fall for it. For the last three years, BJP is only making promises and has done nothing for the people," he said.

Akhilesh lists his achievements

In contrast, his government has given Uttar Pradesh "metro, expressway, pension for the poor, laptops among other things", Akhilesh said. Rahul targeted the Prime Minister during most of his speech saying the people have realised the reality of the note ban. "Modi thinks that he is the only one in the country and the world who knows everything and speaks the truth while the people of India are foolish and ignorant. "One man cannot run this country. He cannot keep manufacturing falsehood," the Congress leader said and alleged that Modi has been working to benfit his "fifty friends" like Mallaya who have taken loans from banks.

"Modiji is taking care of rich friends because during elections they give him money to spend," he alleged. Rahul said the SP-Congress alliance government will work for youths, farmers, poor and the women. The BJP had stepped up its attack on the SP-Congress alliance in recent days with party chief Amit Shah saying yesterday that two "good-looking princes" involved in corruption are now out to mislead the people of Uttar Pradesh. "Both are 'khoobsurat shehzade' (beautiful princes) who are out to mislead the public.  Mother is fed up with one and father is fed up with the other. How will they help Uttar Pradesh? One has looted the country while the other has looted the state. Beware of them," Shah said in Mathura.

Akhilesh listed the steps taken by his government for Kanpur. He claimed that the BJP had carried out the stone laying ceremony for Ghatampur power project again although he and UPA Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal had already done it earlier. "But the work on the project has not started till now," he said.

Stressing on the issue of providing jobs, Rahul said if their alliance wins, a number of steps will be taken on this front like opening high-class institutes for students from weaker sections. He also recited a couplet on their alliance, saying "hum dono mein farq itna he, ek kehta he sapna or doosra khwab, mein Hindi, Urdu ka doab, mein weh aina hoon jisme he aap". (...I am a mirror in which you can see your reflection) . 

Modi mocks Congress-SP alliance 

Earlier speaking at an election rally in Aligarh, PM Modi   launched a scathing attack on the SP government for "doing nothing" for development in the state, as he used his signature style of coining acronyms to assert that BJP will bring "Vikas" -- 'Vidyut' (electricity), 'Kanoon' (law and order) and 'Sadak' (roads), if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. Maintaining that he had come to Aligarh in 2014 as the PM candidate, Modi said "not even half this ground was filled then. But today there is a 'kesariya sagar' (saffron sea) before me...

"And when the wind is so strong, even a young leader cannot face it and seeks help of anything ...even a pole...but this time BJP 'aandhi' (storm) is so strong that the Chief Minister fears that he might be blown off... The people of UP want change and justice." Attacking the opposition, Modi said "we are working to save money by adopting strict measures. Will they not be angry with me and will not come together to defeat Modi? ...They feel that if they remain alone, Modi will get majority in the Rajya Sabha and make such rules that thieves, looters and the corrupt will not get any help. This is their fear." "I am tightening the screws to teach those supporting black money a lesson," he said.