"None of the nationalist forces are with Congress now": PM Modi's jibe on Pawar, Uddhav factions

Taking a jibe at the divisions in Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, said that none of the "nationalist" forces are with the Congress now except the "fake" versions of the two parties.

Taking a jibe at the divisions in Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, said that none of the "nationalist" forces are with the Congress now except the "fake" versions of the two parties. He also recalled late BJP veterans; Gopinath Munde, Manohar Parrikar, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, whom the party lost.

Addressing the public meeting in Beed, PM Modi said, "None of the nationalist forces are with Congress. The original Nationalist Congress Party is with the BJP and the original 'nationalist' Shivsena of Balasaheb Thackeray is with the BJP. Who all are with Congress? Fake Shiv Sena, fake Nationalist Congress party." "And what they are doing, making fake promises and fake videos. Congress has this habit, 'na kaam karo, na kaam karne do' (neither they do the work, nor they allow others to work)" he added.

Notably, Shiv Sena was split into two factions after Eknath Shinde broke out from the party along with 40 odd MLAs in 2022. The Election Commission later recognized Shinde's faction as the real Shiv Sena. Uddhav Thackeray led faction is recognized as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Later in 2023, Sharad Pawar's NCP too got split after his nephew Ajit Pawar broke out from the party and formed government with BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) in Maharashtra. The Election Commission recognized Ajit Pawar's party as the real NCP and Sharad Pawar's faction was given the name NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

The alliance between Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) is called 'Maha Vikas Aghadi'. Further, during his address, Prime Minister Modi attacked the Maha Vikas Aghadi for halting the work on bullet train that had to be constructed between Maharashtra and Gujarat.

"I started the work for bullet train between Gujarat and Maharashtra. First they mocked it, then opposed the project. Till the Maha Vinash Aghadi (jibe on Maha Vikas Aghadi) they didn't allow the work to progress. If they come to power, they will again halt work on bullet train project. On one hand, BJP is promising to expand work for bullet train, on the other hand, Congress and INDI Aghadi are opposing it. You tell me who should govern the India of 21st century," he said. PM Modi also attacked Congress and the INDIA bloc over the reservation row in Karnataka. He also criticized former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav over his remarks on reservation.

"In Karnataka, where OBC had 27 per cent reservation, the Congress government brought a 'fatwah', an order and overnight declared all the Muslims in Karnataka as OBC. What BR Ambedkar, the Constitution, the parliament granted 27 per cent reservations to OBC, by putting Muslims in the category of OBC, overnight, they (Congress) looted what was there for the OBC...now, they want to do the same thing across the country," the Prime Minister said. "Today, a leader of INDI alliance has himself accepted their conspiracy. He is the same has been convicted by the Court in 'fodder scam'. The leader of the INDI alliance has accepted that 'ye log Musalmaanon ko pura ka pura aarakshan dena chahte hain' (They want to give the whole reservation to Muslims). It means, they want to snatch the whole reservation given to SC, ST and OBC and give to Muslims. This is a danger sign for tribals, backwards and Dalits," he further added.

Earlier in the day, former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav called for a Muslim quota in the reservation. "Muslims should get a reservation (Reservation toh milna chahiye Musalmano ko, pura)," he told ANI.

However, later the RJD supremo backtracked and said that reservation is given on the basis of social backwardness and not on the basis of religion. "I implemented the 'Mandal Commission'. Reservation samajik adhar par hota hai dharmik aadhar par nahi hota hai (it is based on social-backwardness and not based on religion). Atal Bihari Vajpayee constituted the Constitution Review Commission," he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament. The polling is being held in five phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, may 13 and May 20. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by its ally Shiv Sena (undivided) with 18 seats. The Nationalist Congress Party (undivided) and Congress could only win four and one seat each. (ANI)

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