AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi visited Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur and Varanasi on Tuesday to campaign for PDM candidates. He urged voters to support candidates running under the PDM banner, represented by the envelope symbol. Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), led by Krishna Patel and focused on the Kurmi OBC community, has formed the PDM alliance with AIMIM, Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party, and Rashtriya Uday Party, targeting backward classes, Dalits, and Muslims.
"We are part of PDM in Uttar Pradesh and are appealing for PDM candidates to cast their vote on the envelope sign," Owaisi told ANI. Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusation that Congress aims to reduce reservations for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes in favor of Muslims, Owaisi countered, "After the first phase, the PM has limited the election narrative to Muslims only. The BJP's strategy is to hide their failures by promoting fear and hatred against Muslims. They haven't provided jobs, inflation is high, and exam papers are being leaked in Uttar Pradesh. Their foreign policy is so weak that Nepal now claims Indian territory on its currency notes. People see this and understand their aim to undermine the Constitution."
Owaisi further appealed to voters to prevent PM Modi from securing a third term, warning that it would lead to increased unemployment, inflation, and the erosion of the Constitution.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2024: PM Modi Will Not Be Prime Minister After June 4, Says Rahul Gandhi
Uttar Pradesh is voting in seven phases for the Lok Sabha elections, with the final phase scheduled for June 1. Congress is contesting in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, holding 17 seats while the Samajwadi Party contests 63 seats in this critical state. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, with its ally Apna Dal (S) securing two additional seats. The BSP won 10 seats, the SP five, and Congress only one. Polling for the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be on June 1, with vote counting on June 4.