With the Election Commission of India (ECI) restricting political parties from physical rallies, the leaders are engaged in a bitter “Twitter war” blaming each other for the present situation.

When Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath commented on former Chief Ministers of the State building big bungalows for themselves instead of houses for the poor, BSP chief Mayawati immediately hit back by commenting on Yogi’s Gorakhpur Math. Immediately, Adityanath’s social media team hit back and even raised the issue of Mayawati’s sandals.

The whole fracas started when Yogi said in Aligarh on Saturday that before 2017, the Chief Minister and Ministers used to build palaces for themselves, but the BJP built houses for the poor.

Furious over this, Mayawati attacked Yogi in a series of tweets on  Sunday. 

She wrote: “Perhaps the people of western UP do not know that the monastery built by Yogi ji in Gorakhpur, where he lives most of the time, is no less than a big bungalow.”

Yogi’s office tweeted in return: “On one hand, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dedicated the Government aircraft to protect the lives of the people during the Corona period, on the other hand, sandals were ordered from a Government plane, misusing State resources for personal splendour.”

In another tweet, Yogi’s office invited the BSP chief to visit Gorakshanath Math. 

The tweet read, “Sister!  The memories of sages-saints and revolutionaries of the freedom movement have been preserved in Shri Gorakshapeeth, the Tapobhoomi of Baba Gorakhnath ji in Gorakhpur.  There are temples of Hindu gods and goddesses.  This center of social justice is working for the welfare of all. Come sometime, there will be peace. The difference is clear!’

The BSP chief continued her attack on the BJP on Monday when she wrote: “It would have been better if the CM of UP, along with the praise of his Government, had also mentioned some works related to the public interest of the BSP Government, because they should know that BSP had launched schemes of giving houses to the poor and land to the landless.  The Government’s record has been better”.

She also wrote, “Under Manyavar Kanshi Ram Ji and the Shahari Garib Awas Yojana by the BSP Government, more than one and a half lakh pucca houses were given in only two phases and many families got the benefit under Sarvajan Hitaya Garib Awas Ownership Scheme. The land was also given to lakhs of landless families.”

The ECI had restricted political parties till January 31 from holding big rallies due to the  pandemic.