Maharashtra polls: Thackeray’s ‘remote control’ is in Congress’s hands, says Modi

PM Modi criticized Uddhav Thackeray at his final Maharashtra rally, accusing him of being controlled by Congress and stalling development projects

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a parting shot at Uddhav Thackeray at his last campaign rally for the Maharashtra assembly elections, claiming that the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief’s “remote control” was in the hands of the Congress. Modi also accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of stalling mega development projects in Mumbai. He said only the BJP-led Mahayuti government could steer Mumbai on the path of development.

Mumbai, India. Nov 14, 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai, as part of the election campaign for Mahayuti Mumbai, India. Nov 14, 2024. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times)

Addressing the Mahayuti’s concluding campaign rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Thursday, Modi trained his guns on Thackeray. He said his party had deviated from the ideology of its founder, the late Bal Thackeray. “Mumbai is a city which follows the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, and is a city that values its self-respect. But a constituent (Thackeray) of the MVA has given its remote control in the Congress’s hands,” said Modi, contrasting Uddhav with his father, Bal Thackeray, who was considered the ‘remote control’ of the state for his hold over the Maharashtra government.

Modi continued, “I had challenged the Sena to make the Congress’s Shahjada (Rahul Gandhi) praise Balasaheb at least once by calling the late leader ‘Hindu Hridaysamrat’.” He added that Thackeray had teamed up “with the people who insulted Veer Savarkar”.

On the Mahayuti’s poll prospects, Modi claimed the alliance would register a bigger victory than the BJP’s victory in the recent Haryana assembly elections, and remarked that he would return to Mumbai for the swearing-in of the Mahayuti government later this month. “Congress and MVA have been dreaming about coming back to power, but their dreams will be shattered like they were in Haryana,” he said.

“I have been touring Maharashtra and Jharkhand and the people are eager to give a fitting reply to the Opposition, like they did in Haryana. The voters have decided to bury the falsehood of the MVA and they have realised that the Congress that ruled the country and Maharashtra for six to seven decades has insulted Dr B R Ambedkar. They did not implement the Constitution in Jammu & Kashmir for decades, and the government and the chief justice there would not be sworn in in the name of the Constitution,” he claimed.

Modi also alleged that the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government had ‘”stalled” mega-infrastructure projects like the Atal Setu and metro car shed, adding that only Mahayuti can keep Mumbai on the path of progress. “We believe in keeping Mumbai together, while MVA is always interested in dividing people the in the name of religion and caste. Congress has been spreading hatred in the name of caste as the Congress’s first family hates tribals and backward castes,” he alleged.

Modi said a city that once reeled under the threat of terror attacks during the rule of Congress-led governments has seen no attacks in the last ten years. “There was a time when the government would warn people of unclaimed articles in trains and buses. Citizens venturing out of their homes in the morning did not know whether they would return home safe in the evening. Anti-national elements know that Modi will bury them in the ground if they even think of taking a step against Mumbai.”

The Prime Minister’ final message to the people of Mumbai: “The city has set an example in entrepreneurship in the country, and to maintain that spirit, it is necessary to vote Mahayuti back to power.”

Meanwhile, Modi will embark on a three-day international tour from November 16 to 21. He will visit Brazil and participate in the G20 summit on November 18 and 19. Before that, he will visit Nigeria on November 16 and 17, followed by a visit to Guyana from November 19 to 21.