Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the people of Maharashtra today for what he called their "historic verdict", saying the mandate was a firm rejection of the negative politics of the Opposition. This not only included what party chief JP Nadda described as the sabotage of the second mandate, but also the talk of a second constitution and the return of Article 370, the politics of division in the name of caste and creed, he said. The election in Maharashtra proved the maxim of "Ek hai toh safe hai (there is safety in unity" which has become a mantra to the whole country, he added.