PM Modi has advised Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar to reunite Sena and NCP after elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today advised the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) to join hands with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde after Lok Sabha poll results instead of "dying by merging" with the Congress.
"A big leader here who is active for 40-50 years is worried after polling in Baramati (Lok Sabha seat). He says that after June 4, smaller parties, in order to survive, will merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, without naming Sharad Pawar.
"This means the nakli NCP and nakli Shiv Sena have made up their minds to merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, addressing an election rally in Nandurbar district of north Maharashtra.
"But instead of dying by merging with the Congress, come to Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde," PM Modi said.
Reacting to the comments, Sharad Pawar said that he cannot ally with any person, party or ideology that does not believe in parliamentary democracy.
Mr Pawar emphasised that to maintain unity in the country, all faiths must be included and taken along.
"PM Modi's recent speeches have been conducive to creating rifts among communities, which is dangerous for the country. Wherever things are not in the nation's interest, neither I nor my colleagues will venture," he said.
In the Nandurbar seat, the BJP has renominated incumbent MP Heena Gavi, who is pitted against Gowaal Padavi of Congress. The constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of the general elections on May 13.
"In the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress. Or they may look at the option of merging with the Congress if they believe that is the best for their party," NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had told The Indian Express.
Speaking at the rally, PM Modi also accused the Congress of conspiring to end "Hindu aastha" (faith). The guru of Congress' 'shehzada' has told the US that Ram temple and Ram Navmi festivities are against the idea of India, he said, targeting Sam Pitroda, former chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.
Pitroda on Wednesday resigned after stoking controversy with his remarks that cited ethnic and racial identities like Chinese, Africans, Arabs and Whites to describe the physical appearance of Indians.
"Congress calls people with Lord Krishna's colour as Africans. So they didn't want Droupadi Murmu to be the President of India. Isn't it an insult of adivasis," he asked.
The PM said that the Congress' agenda is so dangerous that if it terms Ram temple construction and Ram Navami celebrations against the idea of India. "They may say my going to temple is anti-India. See the Congress mindset, that in the land of Ram, a temple is anti-India." These people organise "sarkari Iftar" and beautify graves of terrorists, he said.
In an apparent reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's alleged comment about "burying him in Maharashtra just like Mughal emperor Aurangzeb", PM Modi said, those from the duplicate Sena are speaking of burying him alive.
They have also got a bomb blast accused for election campaigning, he said, referring to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. "These people have lost public support and their political space has eroded. People of India are my security cover. These people can't bury me alive or dead," he said.
Providing quota benefits on the basis of religion is against the very values and principles enshrined in our Constitution, he said. As long as he is alive, PM Modi said, he won't let an "inch" of reservation of Dalits, adivasis and OBCs be taken away on the basis of religion.
Extending Akshaya Tritiya greetings to the people, he said, "Your blessings to me on this occasion shows that a third term for me is guaranteed." PM Modi said service to adivasis and deprived sections is like serving family members for him.
"I am not like Congress' 'shahi parivar' but was raised in a poor family. Adivasis and the poor had suffered a lot in terms of lack of access to housing, electricity and water even after 60 years of independence. But my government has worked hard to improve their lives," said the BJP's star campaigner.
He said the Congress has no concern for adivasis and did nothing to eradicate sickle cell anemia, prevalent among tribals.
PM Modi said his government has initiated steps in that direction to secure the future generations of tribals.
He said the Congress knows it cannot match (Narendra) Modi over development. "So it has opened a factory of lies on reservation and Constitution." Their ecosystem is filled with rumours, he said.
"On the Constitution change rumour, it is nothing but a 'chor machaya shor' (thieves creating noise) situation for Congress. It wants to introduce reservations based on religion which is against the Constitution. Making such an attempt is like stabbing the maker of the Constitution in the back," he said.
Alleging that the Congress wants to replicate its "Karnataka model" across the country by snatching quotas from SC, ST and OBC and giving those to their minority vote banks, PM Modi cautioned people to be alert.
In Karnataka, the Congress turned Muslims into OBCs overnight and now it wants to snatch quotes from tribals and Dalits, he said.
"The Maha Vikas Aghadi is running a 'maha abhiyan' (mega drive) to finish off quota while I am doing 'maha rakshan ka maha yagna' (grand ritual for protection) to save it," he said.
"I have been challenging the Congress to give in writing that it will not end the SC and ST quota and give it to Muslims. But the Congress is not replying. They have a hidden agenda to loot your rights. But they are spreading rumours by being hand in glove with anti-national elements," he said.
"Modi is the 'chowkidar' (watchman) to protect the rights of the deprived sections of society," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)