INDIA: Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader, slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s remark about the state becoming a “Kashmir, Kerala, or Bengal” if the BJP was not elected, saying UP “should be so lucky” to have Kashmir’s beauty, Bengal’s culture, and Kerala’s education.
His witty reply via Twitter came after Adityanath, through a six-minute video message on the micro-blogging platform, asked people of Uttar Pradesh to bring back BJP to power or face the possibility of the state turning into a “Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal.”
In the video released hours before the state went for polling for the first phase of assembly elections, Adityanath said, “I want to say something from my heart today. In the past five years, many wonderful things have happened. However, if you make a mistake, the hard work of these five will be wasted. And this time, it will not take time for Uttar Pradesh to become Kashmir, Bengal, or Kerala. Your vote is a blessing for my five years of work, but remember, the vote will also guarantee your fear-free life.”
Criticizing his remarks, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to Twitter and stated that if Uttar Pradesh were to become Kerala, it would enjoy the best amenities that the people of UP would desire.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah reacted angrily to CM Yogi’s remarks, saying that “he should be so lucky” if UP becomes Kashmir because it has “less poverty, less crime, and generally better living standards.”
Also Read: The Significant Role of UP Elections in Indian Politics
