Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said people should not "waste their votes" on the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) "if they cannot do anything for the poor".

In Farrukhabad, Adityanath lashed out at the previous governments and cautioned the voters not to get seduced by those who "imposed curfews, prevented progress and worked on a policy of appeasement".

Addressing a function in Unnao to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth Rs 241 crore, the chief minister asked the gathering, "Could those in the Congress have made the Ram temple (possible) in Ayodhya? Could those in the SP have made it? If they cannot give ration, houses or health facilities to the poor nor can they respect your faith by building a Ram temple, why do you waste your vote and accept them as a burden over you?" With 80 Lok Sabha seats, the maximum amongst all the states, Uttar Pradesh is the most crucial battleground for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is eyeing to retain power for a third consecutive term at the Centre in the upcoming general election.

"The one who works, provides benefits of government projects without discrimination and provides a better security infrastructure should have the right to come to power," Adityanath said.

He asserted that "only one slogan is resonating across the country -- fir ek bar, Modi sarkar (a government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again)".

Adityanath also spoke about the country's economic progress in the last decade.

"It is such an honour that the country (Britain) that ruled us for more than a century was defeated by India on its way to becoming the world's fifth-largest economy," he said.

"India became the world's fifth-largest economy in the second term of the Modi government and it will become the third-largest economy in Modi's third term," he asserted.

The chief minister was accompanied by BJP MP from Unnao Sakshi Maharaj, state minister Daya Shankar Singh and other BJP leaders at the function.

Speaking at another function in Farrukhabad to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth Rs 288 crore, Adityanath said, "Do not get seduced by those who imposed curfews, stopped progress and destroyed law and order by working on a policy of appeasement." He also made a veiled attack on the then SP government for opening fire on kar sevaks in Ayodhya in 1990.

"When the wrong people are in power, they fire at Ram bhakts. When a right and sensitive government comes to power, Ram bhakts are taken for the darshan of Lord Ram with respect," Adityanath said.

Kar sevaks were shot at in Ayodhya in October 1990 when late Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Adityanath said due to a better and secure atmosphere and new steps that are being taken by the government, Uttar Pradesh, which was once known as "bimaru", has become the state with the second-largest economy in the country.

"Earlier, people talked about caste, religion and politics of Uttar Pradesh. There was no discussion on youngsters, women, development, farmers and faith. Today, everyone is benefitting from the progress of Uttar Pradesh," he said.

People used to consider Uttar Pradesh as a speed-breaker in the country's development journey, the BJP leader said, adding, "We mended that speed-breaker and made it the breakthrough of development in the country. Uttar Pradesh is working as the growth engine for the country." The chief minister said in the coming years, youngsters from Uttar Pradesh will not go looking for jobs outside the state but people from other states will come here for jobs.

"We have witnessed a changing India. We have also seen the India before 2014, when there was no respect abroad. There was distrust in the country when benefits of government schemes were provided after seeing the faces of the beneficiaries, when curfews were clamped before festivals and there was corruption at every level," he said.

"Today, none of that happens. Today, youngsters are respected and arrangements are made for their jobs. Big development projects are being undertaken and heritage is also being respected," Adityanath said.

BJP MP from Farrukhabad Mukesh Rajput, along with other leaders of the party, accompanied the chief minister during the event.

The BJP has again shown faith in Rajput by giving him the Lok Sabha poll ticket from Farrukhabad for the third time. Adityanath urged the voters to vote for Rajput in the upcoming election.

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