LS polls: BJP is losing "very badly", says Congress' Varanasi candidate Ajay Rai

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 22 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over inflation and 'crimes against women' in the state and said that BJP is going to lose the ongoing Lok Sabha elections "very badly".
UPCC chief and INDIA bloc candidate for Varanasi Lok Sabha seat Ajay Rai has been fielded by Congress against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to ANI, Rai said, "They (BJP) are losing very badly. If they were not losing the elections why would have PM Modi stayed overnight in Varanasi?...He came to Varanasi in 2014 as well as in 2019, but never stayed overnight. So, why did stay overnight this time?...The people have awakened and are voting for their rights."
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi was in Varanasi on Tuesday, and addressed the 'Nari Shakti Samvad Program' there. He greeted people while sitting in a specially designed vehicle. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also accompanied him during the event. PM Modi filed his nomination from Varanasi on May 14.
Hitting back at Prime Minister Modi's allegations that SP and Congress are 'anti-woman", Ajay Rai slammed the BJP over the IIT BHU sexual harassment case, and asked why no strict action was taken against the accused.
"Everybody knows who is anti-woman. The man who couldn't keep his wife, who left her...recently a girl was sexually harassed at IIT BHU by three BJP IT Cell members. But only a simple case was registered under normal sections...no strict investigation was done. They (the accused) even campaigned in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls," the Congress leader said.
Rai further said, "No BJP leader came in the support of the girls. Under Girish Tripathi (former Vice Chancellor of BHU), such inhuman acts were committed against girl students. They protested, but no one helped them. Even then, Girish Tripathi was given a higher post."
''Despite being a MP of this constituency, what were you (PM Modi) able to do? Why no bulldozer was used then?" he added.
The UP Congress Chief further targetted the BJP alleging that the government has failed to clean the Ganga river and was "hiding" its failure.
"If he is Gangaputra, why doesn't he go into the waters and drink the water of Ganga, at the location, where he claims of cleaning the river ...they (CJP) claim of making the city Kyoto, but also hide the place through floating jetty and curtains, why are hiding? Show to everyone that you haven't done anything," he added.
The Congress leader also targeted BJP over inflation stating that people are finding it difficult to manage their expenses.
"During Congress rule, cylinder costed Rs 400, now it costs Rs 1100. Before 2014, people were able to manage their expenses with their salaries, but today they are struggling. Pulses cost Rs 180/kg. The fees and stationary costs of students have risen four-fold. Everything has got expensive...now what else do you want? Please leave the Kashi. This is 'Baba ki nagri', we will take care our ourselves," Rai said.
Prime Minister Modi is a two-time MP from Varanasi. Winning the seat with a resounding majority in 2014 and 2019, he is seeking a third straight win from the seat.
The voting here will be held in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections on June 1. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
In the 2019 elections, BJP won 62 seats and it's ally Apna Dal won 2 seats in the state.
This time under seat-sharing agreement, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress are contesting on 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh in 63:17 proportion. (ANI)