"If UP turns into Kerala...": Pinarayi Vijayan hits back Yogi Adityanath

New Delhi, Feb 10: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday hit back at Yogi Adityanath's jibe that UP may turn into Kerala if the BJP doesn't return to power in the state.

"If UP turns into Kerala as Yogi Adityanath fears, it will enjoy the best education, health services, social welfare, living standards and have a harmonious society in which people won't be murdered in the name of religion and caste. That's what the people of UP would want," Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also responded to Yogi Adityanath's comments in a tweet.

"UP will turn into Kashmir, Bengal or Kerala if BJP doesn't come to power, Yogi Adityanath tells voters. UP should be so lucky!! Kashmir's beauty, Bengal's culture and Kerala's education would do wonders for the place. UP's wonderful: pity about its government," Tharoor posted.

Yogi Adityanath said ahead of the first phase of voting that the state could become a West Bengal or Kashmir if the people made a mistake.

In a video shared by the Uttar Pradesh BJP, Yogi said that a vote for the BJP would guarantee a fear free life. There is a lot in my heart, I want to tell you. A lot of great things have happened in the past five years. Be careful. If you miss the labour of these five years, everything will be spoilt. It will not take much time for UP to become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal, he said.

Your vote will be a blessing on my efforts of the last five years. The time for a big decision has come. In the last five years, the double engine government of the BJP has done everything with dedication and commitment. You have seen and heard everything in detail, Yogi further added.