High-octane campaigning for last phase ends in UP with Modi, Akhilesh, Priyanka rallies

The high-octane campaigning in the last phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections ended on Saturday with PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah. and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav addressing rallies in Varanasi and other parts of Poorvanchal. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a roadshow in Jaunpur.

Polling on 54 assembly seats in nine districts, including Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Modi, Azamgarh, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Sonebhadra, Ghazipur and Mau would be held on Monday.

Modi, who addressed an election rally in Varanasi, attacked his rivals for "humiliating" the country even when the entire nation should have been united. "The dynasts have always tried to humiliate the country....they see politics even in the evacuation of stranded Indian students from Ukraine," he said.

The prime minister claimed that there was a "pro-incumbency wave" in favour of the BJP government in the state. "For the first time I have seen a government seeking support of the people in the name of development and law and order," he added.

Also read: UP Polls: BJP faces tough battle in Varanasi

Shah, who addressed an election rally at Jaunpur, said that India's stature in the world had risen under the Modi government. "Modiji ended the special status of Jammu & Kashmir but the opposition did not like it," he said.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who addressed a series of election meetings at Azamgarh and Jaunpur, said that BJP was staring at defeat in the polls. "The body language of the BJP leaders has changed completely in the past few days.....they have realised that they are losing the elections," Akhilesh said.

Akhilesh's alliance partner Om Prakash Rajbhar also addressed several rallies in Varanasi and its adjoining areas on Saturday.

Priyanka, who had been camping in Varanasi for the past three days, on Saturday held a roadshow in Jaunpur in favour of her party nominee Nadeem Javed.

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