Akhilesh Yadav tears into PM Modi's press conference, calls it last episode of 'Mann ki Baat' on TV

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden press conference, saying the media interaction looked "like last episode of 'Mann ki Baat' of the prime minister and the only difference was it was aired on TV and not on radio.

"Development is asking have you seen the first press conference of Pradhan ji. Seems like the last episode of `Mann ki Baat` has been aired on TV instead of radio. Media persons did not get to ask their questions and the disciplined soldiers remained silent," tweeted the SP chief.

‘विकास’ पूछ रहा है: प्रधान जी की पहली प्रेस वार्ता देखी क्या? लगता है ‘मन की बात’ का अंतिम एपिसोड रेडियो की जगह TV पर प्रसारित हुआ है.

बेचारे मीडिया वाले अपने प्रश्नों को लेकर बैठे ही रह गये ‘अनुशासित सिपाही’ मौन ही रहे. pic.twitter.com/cOytuPKdDL — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 17, 2019

Loktantrik Janata Dal party chief Sharad Yadav also hit out at PM Modi, saying the press conference was the `farewell press conference` of the BJP.  Yadav added that the prime minister remained at the helm of affairs for five years and yet he is not able to face media.

"It is unfortunate that even after 5 years of rule of d BJP PM could not face media. It`s a question in everybody`s mind. Before d last phase of election PM has given clear indication from his body language that he has accepted defeat & it was like a farewell P.C of d Party & Govt," tweeted Yadav.

It is unfortunate that even after 5 years of rule of d BJP PM could not face media. Its a question in everybody's mind. Before d last phase of election PM has given clear indication from his body language that he has accepted defeat & it was like a farewell P.C of d Party & Govt — SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) May 17, 2019

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also attacked PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, saying that after the press conference Shah thanked the BJP workers who attended the press conference disguised as journalists.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel also took a dig at PM Modi and said that the press conference was unique because someone else was answering questions which were meant for the PM. "Never seen a press conference where someone else is answering questions on your behalf. There was no need to lower the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister just to prove a point," he tweeted.

Never seen a press conference where someone else is answering questions on your behalf

There was no need to lower the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister just to prove a point — Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) May 17, 2019

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that PM Modi's body language at the press conference showed that he had accepted defeat in Lok Sabha poll. "Today, the whole country saw Modi ji`s body language at the press conference. The world has seen that Modi ji has accepted defeat and he presented himself in the same way in front of the media. He did not answer any question. No one can ask him a question," tweeted Gehlot.