Will defeat of PM Modi become more historic than his win: Mayawati

Taking jibe over PM Modi, Mayawati wondered if Varanasi would be a repeat of Rae Bareli in 1977. She also raised a question 'will the defeat of PM Modi become more historic than his win? However, in 1977 a politician Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi by 50,000 votes.

Lucknow: A day before polling in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, BSP supremo Mayawati wondered if Varanasi would be a repeat of Rae Bareli in 1977 when a politician Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi.

Accusing BJP government in UP for ignoring the development of the state's eastern region, Mayawati tweeted "Poorvanchal faced non-fulfilment of promises and betrayal when the Prime Minister and UP chief minister are representing it. Will the defeat of PM Modi not become more historic than his win? Will Varanasi repeat Rae Bareli-1977?"

Though she did not elaborate on the context, the apparent reference was to post-Emergency general election when Indira Gandhi had got 1,22,517 votes and lost to Raj Narain who bagged 1,77,719 votes in the electoral battle in Rae Bareli.

The Bahujan Samaj Party chief also derided the "Gujarat Model of development". "The Gujarat model of PM Modi has been unsuccessful in removing the extreme poverty, unemployment and backwardness of the UP's Poorvanchal, which is a gross 'vadaa khilaafi' (non-fulfilment of promise)," she said.

"The double-engine government of Modi-Yogi has given casteist, communal hatred and violence to the country instead of any development, which is extremely sad," she added.