BAREILLY: Even as Uttar Pradesh went to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday, election buzz briskly shifted to Rohilkhand region with BJP's star campaigner Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigning in Badaun and party president Amit Shah in Pilibhit. In tandem with PM Modi's chest thumping in Badaun amidst a gathering of thousands, BJP star campaigner Manoj Tiwari put up a poor show here in Bareilly.To the sheer embarrassment for the party, Tiwari, who was in the city to campaign for party candidate from Bareilly city seat Arun Kumar, arrived hours late only to bump into a small gathering here at a wedding lawn. The lawn which has a capacity of almost 2000 people was barely 40% occupied. However, this initial speed bump did not discourage Tiwari to go all guns blazing against rivals, especially Samajwadi Party."I was chosen by PM Modi and party president Amit Shah to serve the party. Had it been any other party like SP where only members of the dynasty have a stronghold, I would have been kept restricted to the insignificant daily chores of the party. Close to 22 members of the Yadav family in politics only serve as strong alibi to my claims," Tiwari said.He further sharpened his attack on rivals by taking a dig at SP-Congress alliance, "Now two dynasties have come together and Akhilesh has joined hands with a person who had dubbed residents of our state as 'beggars'. It's Rahul Gandhi who is beggar and not us," said Tiwari. Taking a dig at development narrative of Akhilesh, Tiwari asserted, "They (SP) might claim of development in the state but nothing can be seen on the ground."Meanwhile, Akhilesh, during his Bareilly rally on Saturday tried to clarify on rivals' allegations of two dynasties coming together. "People are saying that two dynasties have come together. It's not the dynasty but two young people have joined hands in the state, Akhilesh said.

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