"They consider themselves even bigger than Lord Ram...": PM Modi attacks Congress, SP

Prime Minister Modi also said that the Lok Sabha elections, which are underway since April 19 is an election "to completely free the country from the mentality of 1000 years of slavery".

In a no-holds-barred attack on Samajawadi Party and Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that both opposition parties did not attend the Pran Pratistha at Ram temple in Ayodhya held in January this year due to their 'vote-bank politics'. PM Modi, while addressing a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly slammed the opposition and said that they "consider themselves even bigger than Lord Ram".

"Their (opposition's) ego is too big and they consider themselves even bigger than Lord Ram. Samajwadi Party and Congress were invited for Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha but they even declined that. They did this because their vote bank would have been upset with them," the PM said. The PM further came down heavily on the Congress and the SP and said both parties which are contesting the elections jointly, can go to any extent for appeasement.

"The INDI alliance of Samajwadi Party and Congress can go to any extent for appeasement. The dangerous claw of the Congress is going to snatch away the rights of the people. Congress intends to snatch away the reservation of OBCs and give it to the vote bank of their choice," he said. Prime Minister Modi also said that the Lok Sabha elections, which are underway since April 19 is an election "to completely free the country from the mentality of 1,000 years of slavery".

"This election is an election to completely free the country from the mentality of 1,000 years of slavery. This election is an election that will give new heights to India's self-respect," he said. The BJP has fielded Chhatrapal Gangwar as its candidate from Bareilly Lok Sabha constituency.

The voting schedule for the Bareilly Lok Sabha is 7 May as announced by the Election Commission. In Lok Sabha elections 2019, Santosh Kumar Gangwar of BJP won with 565,270 votes in the Bareilly Lok Sabha constituency. The runner up was Bhagwat Saran Gangwar of SP. Gangwar won the election with a margin of 1,67,282 votes. (ANI)