"Why waste time here in elections, go to Italy": CM Yogi targets Rahul Gandhi

Sangli (Maharashtra) [India], May 1 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that whenever the country is facing a tough time, he run away to Italy.
CM Yogi also suggested that Rahul Gandhi should not campaign for elections here as he went to Italy during the pandemic, earthquake and floods.
Addressing a public meeting in Maharashtra's Sangli, CM Yogi said, "You have seen Rahul Gandhi, whenever the country faces tough times, he is the first one who leaves the country and runs away. When covid came, he went to Italy. Be it an earthquake, flood or any other disaster, he left for Italy".
"When you (Rahul Gandhi) have to go to Italy, why waste time here in elections, go to Italy. When he is outside India, he criticises it and when in India, he behaves as if the country has been inherited by his forefathers," CM Yogi added.
He also lashed out at the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, saying "This is not India of Congress period where after one slap, they used to say wait, Let the peace does not vitiate anywhere. ...If anyone dares to slap, today we dare to punch back with all our strength...," he added, referring to India's rising.
Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the Lower House of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats.
The polling in the state is being held across five phases. Polling for 11 seats in Maharashtra will be held in the third phase on May 7.
Of the 48 seats in the state, voting in 13 was conducted across the first and second phases.
Polling for the first phase and the second phase was held on April 19 and April 26, respectively.
The next round of voting will be held on May 7.The counting and results will be declared on June 4.