How PM Modi's election speeches changed after each phase of UP polls

From 'kanwar yatra' (an annual ritual during which earthen pitchers filled with Ganga waters are offered at Shiva temple) to alleged migration of Hindu families from Kairana owing to threats from Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election speeches in Uttar Pradesh kept changing in accordance with different phases of the seven-phase election which concluded on Monday.

The common thread in all the speeches, however, remained ''improved law and order'', attacking Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, as well as developmental schemes initiated by the Centre and Yogi Adityanath government in the state.

An analysis of Modi's speeches reveals that the issues — besides development — raised by the prime minister at his election rallies were region-specific.

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At his virtual election rally before the first phase of polling on February 10, Modi raked up 'kanwar yatra', alleged exodus of Hindu families from Kairana and the Muzaffarnagar communal riots. Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamili (Kairana is in Shamli) are adjoining districts. A large number of devotees from these districts embark on the annual 'kanwar yatra'.

As the UP polls moved into the second phase, the prime minister sought to woo the Muslim women by referring to the law against Triple Talaq, apparently keeping in mind the large Muslim population in districts like Bijnore, Sambhal, Rampur, Moradabad and Amroha.

A day before the third phase of polling on February 20, the Ahmedabad serial blast case verdict was pronounced and it immediately made its way into the prime minister's speech. He also sought to link the Samajwadi Party (SP) election symbol cycle with the blasts saying that cycles were used to trigger blasts at several places in the city and also accused the latter of being sympathetic to terrorists.

The under-construction Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath Dham and renovation works undertaken at prominent Hindu religious places like Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Mathura, Kedarnath and Badrinath, were mentioned by the prime minister in his election rallies in the later phases.

For the last two phases of polling, mainly in the Poorvanchal region, Modi changed his line of attack and used the 'ghar parivaarvadi' (family politics) jab to target the SP and Congress. He also said that the polls were between the 'parivaarvadis' and the 'rashtravadis' (nationalists).

It will be interesting to see if the changing election speeches by the prime minister are able to ensure his party's return to power in India's biggest state, where it is locked in a fierce electoral battle with its main rival SP.

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