A day after issuing the statement that “Banaras is the best place to spend one’s final days” while referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday clarified that he “never wished the PM ill”.

Akhilesh, who was in Jaunpur to begin the fresh round of Vijay Yatra on Tuesday, tweeted: “I wish the PM a long life. Never wished him ill. When I said people go to Kashi in their final days, I meant the end of the BJP government. I am a proud Hindu but I don’t sell my religion for votes.”

Replying to a query on the PM's visit to Varanasi, Akhilesh had on Monday said, “It is a good thing. He can stay there not for just one month, but for two or three months. It is a place to stay and people spend their last days in Banaras.” The remark drew sharp reaction from BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, criticising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not taking a holy dip in the Ganga with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before entering Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Akhilesh said the CM knew that the rivers in UP are not clean.

“The CM is well aware that the water of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers is not clean, therefore, he did not take a bath in the Ganga when the PM was taking a holy dip,” he said.

“Nobody can take a dip in Yamuna if the water from Chambal does not fall into it. The condition of Gomti in Jaunpur is not hidden from anyone,” Akhilesh added.

Targeting BJP-led governments at the Centre and in states on the issues of inflation and farmers, Akhilesh said the double engine government had failed on all fronts.

He said people would ensure the victory of SP on 400 seats in the coming assembly polls.

(With inputs from agencies)