UP elections 2017 campaign has witnessed acroynym-laden attacks by BJP, SP, Congress and BSP.
In the battle of acronyms in Uttar Pradesh, where political discourse during campaigning for assembly polls has been increasingly corrosive, Amit Shah today added a new one - KASAB. The name of the 26/11 terrorist, when deconstructed, means Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP, the BJP president said at a rally today. "Until Uttar Pradesh gets rid of K-A-S-A-B, there will be no development in the state. Ka (in Hindi) is for Congress, Sa for Samajwadi Party and Ba for BSP," Mr Shah said in Chauri Chaura, a historic town in Uttar Pradesh. He did not even finish the last bit, letting the crowd guess it.
Ajmal Kasab, the only among the Pakistani attackers caught after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, was hanged in 2012.
"Until Kasab is laid to rest, development and prosperity will continue to elude UP," Mr Shah said.
Reacting to the BJP chief's dig, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Mau Singhvi said, "There is a need to end acronyms... BJP's repulsive thinking has been brought out. It shows the party's communal mindset."
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with SCAM while addressing his first rally in Uttar Pradesh. "SCAM is Samajwadi, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati," he said, drawing a roar of approval from the crowd.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's reply came in Kanpur, where he said that the word stands for - "Service, Courage, Ability and Modesty".
How, wondered PM Modi in parliament, could anyone see anything positive in the word.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav made another attempt - "Save Country from Amit Shah and Modi."
This week, PM Modi described Mayawati's BSP or Bahujan Samaj Party as "Behenji Sampatti (property) Party".
Mayawati shot back, calling BJP "Bharatiya Jumla (rhetoric) Party". The former chief minister also used PM Modi's initials to call him "Mr Negative Dalit Man."
Uttar Pradesh is half-way through seven-phase voting. The results will be declared on March 11.