Defeating Modi not everyone’s cup of tea, Uddhav not a capable PM candidate: Athawale

Navi Mumbai: Reacting to MP Sanjay Raut’s statement that Uddhav Thackeray will be an excellent PM candidate for 2024 election, the Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athavale said, “Defeating PM Narendra Modi is not everyone’s cup of tea

Navi Mumbai: Reacting to MP Sanjay Raut’s statement that Uddhav Thackeray will be an excellent PM candidate for 2024 election, the Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athavale said, “Defeating PM Narendra Modi is not everyone’s cup of tea. Uddhav could not even save his chief minister’s seat. He is not a capable PM candidate. Anyone standing up and claiming the post does not mean much.”

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Athawale also dismissed Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) victory in Kasba bypoll as not gamechanging while refuting Ashok Chavan’s allegation of murder threats over his criticism of the government.

Fresh from his party’s victory in Nagaland election, Athawale was in Vashi on Monday to attend a party worker’s meet at which he attacked the Uddhav faction and MVA for its recent comments.

Athawale said, “There are 15-20 hopefuls for PM candidature in our country. There is a PM hopeful in every party. If Sanjay Raut is talking of Uddhav Thackeray, they can try. We are however confident that PM Narendra Modi will remain prime minister after 2024 election as well and hence, we are not at all worried. We have developed the country and resolved people’s issues.”

Supporting the Eknath Shinde faction in its legal battle against Uddhav group, he said, “The decision on who should get the (Shiv Sena) symbol and name of the party is the election commission’s prerogative. The Supreme Court, too, will hold this view and support the EC.”

He added, “Seventy five percent of the people were with Eknath Shinde and hence, EC had to take the decision based on the democratic principles of majority. The decision in Eknath Shinde’s favour is right.”

Athawale said, “Uddhav allied with Congress and NCP and hence, Shinde rebelled. He has the support of the people.”

On Congress leader Chavan’s statement that he is facing threats for commenting against the government, he said, “Words like thieves, traitors are used against our government. We have not shut anyone’s mouth. Our government protects lives and so what Ashok Chavan is saying is not right.”

Refuting Sharad Pawar’s claim that there are winds of change blowing across the country, following the victory in Kasba bypoll, which BJP lost, he said, “There was a difference of only 11,000 votes there. We are introspecting what went wrong there. Just because they won one seat doesn’t mean all is lost.”

He added, “BJP is sure to do very well in the forthcoming Karnataka and Rajasthan elections. I do not agree with Sharad Pawar’s view about the indication of the bypoll result.”