Accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) of running a mafia raj during its stint with the governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the mafia had become a vote bank for the party.

Addressing an election rally in Majhwan in Mirzapur in favour of Apna Dal candidate Anupriya Patel from Mirzapur, Rinki Kol candidate from Robertsganj, and Shravan Kumar Gaur, a candidate for Duddhi (Sonbhadra) assembly by-election on Sunday, the prime minister hailed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his deterrent action against the mafia. He said, “Yogi Adityanath has embarked on the cleansing campaign against the mafia in Uttar Pradesh taking a cue from my Swachhta Abhiyan. Such was the determination of the chief minister that the mafia is all but vanished from the scene.”

Lauding the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in UP in this direction, he said the state government is about to accomplish the ‘cleansing’ campaign with great courage. During the SP rule, the public used to be scared of these criminals but today, under the BJP Government, it’s the mafia’s turn to shiver in fear.

He pointed out that the SP has fielded Yadav candidates from the family (of Akhilesh Yadav, SP chief) in UP. “The Samajwadi Party has never followed the rule of law. The mafia was a vote bank for them. These people can go to any length to appease the vote bank. They want to encroach on the quota of SC/ST and OBC and give their share to Muslims,” he added.

Modi further said, “In its 2012 assembly manifesto, the SP had promised to give quota to Muslims. I belong to the most backward caste and know the pain. The court prevented them from doing so because the constitution does not allow quota on the basis of religion,” he said.

The prime minister said that the SP-Congress alliance is dedicated to the vote bank while “Modi is dedicated to the interests of the poor, Dalits and backward classes”.

He alleged that the INDI Alliance is extremely communal, casteist, and family-based which wants to stab Baba Saheb in the back by implementing reservations on a religious basis. Modi said with the power of each and every vote of the people, on the one hand, Shri Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya, while on the other the grand Dham of Vindhyavasini is also being built rapidly.

The prime minister said the Hindu month of Jyeshtha was auspicious because the Tuesdays in this month are meant for paying obeisance to Lord Hanuman. “This is the first time when Lord Ram will be in his temple and Lord Hanuman will be the happiest devotee of the lord. This has been possible only because of your vote. June 4 is also a Tuesday when I will be back – phir ek baar (for one more time). The six phases of elections have confirmed that Modi will be back for a third term,” he said.

He further said that the INDIA bloc plans to have five prime ministers in five years if they come to power. “When you build a house, do you change the mason every month? Can you build a strong house in this manner? No one should waste his vote on the INDIA bloc because no one buys shares of a sinking company. You should vote for those who are ready to form a strong government,” he said.

The prime minister emphasised that communalism, casteism, and nepotism were the mainstays of the INDIA bloc.

Reiterating his commitment to the people, Modi listed the schemes he had launched for the welfare of all and ended his speech with, “I have washed cups and plates in my childhood. When the sun rises, the lotus blooms, and people yearn for a cup of tea.”

The cup-plate Modi referred to is the election symbol of Apna Dal (S) whose Anupriya Patel is contesting the Mirzapur seat.

Meanwhile, addressing another public meeting in Mau, the prime minister appealed to the people of every caste and community of Ghosi and other Lok Sabha seats of Purvanchal to be united “to counter the conspiracy of the INDI alliance”.

“Modi has come to alert Purvanchal about the big conspiracy of the INDI Alliance. Congress is looting all castes. These people want Dalits, Brahmins, Rajputs, Bhumihars, Chauhans, Baniyas, Yadavs, Kurmi, Kushwaha, Rajbhar to become weak fighting among themselves. Only then, the INDI alliance people will succeed in their objective,” he alleged.

At the public meeting, Modi sought public support for three NDA candidates. These include Ballia BJP candidate Neeraj Shekhar, Ghosi candidate Arvind Rajbhar of SBSP, and Salempur BJP candidate Ravindra Kushwaha.

The PM said the importance of this election is double for the INDI alliance. “The SP and Congress families had made Purvanchal the campaign area that they neglected in the past and made an area of poverty. Purvanchal is now electing a strong prime minister of the country. Modi will get every one of your votes and will cross the 400 mark. Before June 1, our Purvanchal has made up its mind to make Modi the Prime Minister for the third time,” he claimed.

PM Modi said, “The INDI alliance has three objectives. Firstly, these Indians will change the Constitution and write in it afresh that reservation should be given on the basis of religion in India. Secondly, these Indians will end the reservation given to SC-ST, and OBC and thirdly, the task will be to give complete reservation to Muslims on the basis of religion. Today, the vote bank and report bank of the Congress people has fallen to this level. This INDI alliance wants to make the majority in India second-class citizens.”