Modi's 'warning': SP will block Centre's benefits to poor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Samajwadi Party of fielding anti-social elements in the assembly polls and said the 'fake Samajwadis' will corner the benefits given by the Centre to the poor if they come to power.

Addressing a virtual rally directed at western UP constituencies, he urged people to keep 'history-sheeters' out, and instead create a 'new history'.

Modi focused on law and order and the government measures to help farmers at the virtual 'Jan Chaupal'.

The PM asked people to come out in large numbers on polling day, and to 'vote before you eat'.

'Pehle matdaan, phir jalpaan,' he said in Hindi, at his second virtual rally for UP in recent days.

Polling in the first phase is on February 10.

The virtual rally targeted voters in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Hapur, Aligarh and Noida.

He said the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has dealt strongly with criminals and the mafias and if a government favourable to them comes to power, they would extract 'revenge' from the people.

Modi highlighted the 'double benefits' of the 'double-engine government' over the last five years, referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party government both in the state and at the Centre during this period.

"Till five years ago, these 'mafiawadis' did not allow the benefits of the Central schemes to reach the poor, Dalits and the backwards. Since they did not have a say in the Centre's schemes and could not commit corruption, they used to put brakes on them," Modi said.

"The opposition party is giving tickets to anti-social elements on the basis of which one of them can understand their future intentions. Hence, I request you to vote in large numbers," he said.

"No matter how cold it may be, remember first you have to cast your vote, and then have your breakfast," Modi added.

The prime minister claimed that the government had given a free hand to rioters and criminals, harming 'daughters and sisters'.

"The BJP declares that the rule of criminals (dabang) and rioters will not come back to UP. In the past five years, in order to establish the rule of law, almost 1.5 lakh people were inducted in the police."

He said the 'fake Samajwadis' are keen to return to their previous incarnations -- 'from ration mafias to commission mafias, from contract mafias to mining mafias'.