Narendra Modi travels across globe, but has not visited any village in his Varanasi constituency, says Priyanka Gandhi

Unnao/Barabanki: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination seeking re-election from Varanasi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Saturday accused him of not visiting a single village there. “The prime minister travels across the globe, undertakes boat rides in Varanasi, but he has not visited the villages in his parliamentary constituency,” she said during a roadshow in favour of Congress’ Unnao candidate Annu Tandon. [caption id=“attachment_6529861” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. News18[/caption] “The prime minister should at least visit a village in his constituency, speak to the people and try to understand the reality,” she said. The Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East had previously made similar remarks, thereby fueling speculation that she might contest against Modi from Varanasi, but the grand old party Thursday fielded Ajay Rai from the seat, ending the possibility of a face off between the two. Before embarking on the roadshow in Unnao, Priyanka Gandhi garlanded a statue of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. During the campaign, she spoke to people as her supporters showered her with flower petals. As the roadshow reached Bade Chauraha, some BJP workers tried to disrupt it by waiving black handkerchiefs at her. They raised slogans in favour of Modi. Retaliating, Congress workers also raised slogans. Sensing trouble, police intervened and pushed the BJP supporters back. Priyanka Gandhi claimed that the prime minister has no time for the poor and also accused his government of being “anti-people and anti-farmer”. “I am touring Uttar Pradesh for the past two months… farmers have complained of stray animals. They are in debt… Women feel unsafe,” she claimed. Priyanka also alleged that the BJP government’s policies benefited only a handful of industrialists. The Congress general secretary also held a roadshow in Barabanki and offered prayers at Dewa Sharif, the shrine of Sufi saint Haji Waris Ali.