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PM Modi hurls ‘nakli’ jibe at Uddhav Thackeray's Sena faction: ‘Balasaheb said…’
PM Modi was addressing a poll rally in Maharashtra's Dindori on Wednesday, where he criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SCP, both part of the INDIA bloc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena on Wednesday, calling it the “nakli Shiv Sena” (fake Shiv Sena) and stating that it, along with the Nationalist Congress Party, will gradually “merge with the Congress”. He cited reported statements from Nationalist Congress Party-SCP chief Sharad Pawar, who remarked that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with Congress or even merge with it.
PM Modi, while addressing a poll rally in Maharashtra's Dindori, said, “Congress is losing so badly that it is difficult for them even to become a valid opposition. A leader of the INDI alliance in Maharashtra suggested that all the small parties in Maharashtra should merge with Congress after the elections. This fake Shiv Sena and fake Nationalist Party will certainly merge with Congress.”
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“When this fake Shiv Sena merges with Congress, I will remember Bala Saheb Thackeray the most. Balasaheb also used to say that the day he felt that Shiv Sena had become Congress, that day he would end Shiv Sena, meaning that now there will be no trace of fake Shiv Sena,” he added.
Did Sharad Pawar talk about NCP's ‘merger’ with Congress?
Last week, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar clarified that he did not discuss his party's merger with the Congress, but instead highlighted their collaborative efforts. Responding to inquiries about the potential merger, Pawar informed reporters in Satara on May 9 that he had never made any such statement.
In an interview with a newspaper, Pawar mentioned that in the coming years, various regional parties could forge stronger alliances with the Congress or even consider merging with it.
Modi slams Cong, Shiv Sena (UBT) over Ram Temple ceremony invite
PM Modi also hit out at Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) for rejecting the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya that took place in January this year, saying, “The fake Shiv Sena has shattered every dream of Balasaheb Thackeray. His dream was to build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. Congress rejected the invitation of Pran Pratishtha, and fake Shiv Sena also chose the same path. Congress people are talking nonsense about the temple and the fake Shiv Sena is completely silent.”
“Their sinful partnership has been exposed in front of the entire world. In the four phases of elections that have taken place, the public has defeated them from all sides,” he added.
Criticising the Congress for its “approach towards reservations in India,” PM Modi accused them of resorting to vote bank politics. He asserted that he opposes budget allocation and reservations based on religious considerations.
Additionally, PM Modi emphasised that his BJP-led government at the centre never considers religion when formulating plans or implementing schemes.
