'No more a chaiwala': Mayawati's jibe at PM Modi over 'main bhi chowkidar' campaign

BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the 'main bhi chowkidar' campaign, saying that he is no more a 'chaiwala'.

"After BJP launch 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, PM Modi & others added the prefix 'Chowkidar' to their Twitter handles. So now Narendra Modi is Chowkidar & no more a 'Chaiwala' which he was at the time of last LS election. What a change India is witnessing under BJP rule. Bravo!" she tweeted. 

In a Hindi tweet, Mayawati asked if the country is really changing, referring the change in the term Modi himself used to garner votes from Chaiwala to Chowkidar. 

"The person, who lead a royal life as opposed to simple and high thoughts, promoted himself Chaiwala to attract votes in last Lok Sabha elections now declared himself Chowkidar. Is India really changing?", she tweeted in Hindi. 

On Monday, PM Modi's 'main bhi chowkidar' campaign drew ridicule from Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Raising the Rafale issue, Rahul Gandhi said Modi was attempting to convert the whole country into chowkidar after being "caught", while Priyanka said chowkidar are only for the rich not the poor.

The prime minister had in his election rallies said that he would work as a watchmen against the corrupt.

On Monday, PM Modi added prefix 'chowkidar' to his Twitter name. Following this, several top BJP leaders also changed their names on the microblogging website. 

Launching the campaign, PM Modi had said that he was not alone in the fight against graft and social evils. 

 "Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar," the prime minister wrote on Twitter.

Modi has often described himself as a "chowkidar" who would neither allow corruption nor get corrupted himself.