In a scathing dig at BJP’s former ally Shiv Sena (UBT) and Uddhav Thackeray, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that those who contested elections with BJP in Maharashtra “developed an ego due to personal ambition” and betrayed the partnership.
The Prime Minister was referring to the then undivided Shiv Sena walking out of the NDA after the 2019 assembly elections and forming a coalition government with NCP and Congress in Maharashtra headed by Uddhav.
PM Modi’s exclusive interview to Network18: Full coverage
During an exclusive interview with News18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, News18 Kannada Editor, Hariprasad and News18 Lokmat Anchor Vilas Bade, PM Modi was asked whether there will be a wave of “sympathy” for Uddhav and Sharad Pawar due to the crises in their parties.
The Prime Minister said that the people of India “hate dynasty politics” which led to the split in Shiv Sena and NCP in the first place.
“Those who fought elections with us, those who asked for votes from the people of Maharashtra with us, developed an ego due to their personal ambition of becoming the chief minister. Because of his ego and ambition, you (Uddhav Thackeray) betrayed this partnership that dated back to the days of Balasaheb Thackeray. People are angry about it and there is sympathy for BJP because of this,” PM Moid said.
Speaking about the internal rifts in both NCP and Shiv Sena which ultimately led to the parties splitting into two, PM Modi said that the “storms that erupted” were a result of their leadership giving importance to family members over others.
“The trouble in Sharad Pawar's house is their family dispute. Should the daughter get the reins or the nephew? Similar is the tussle in Shiv Sena like the Congress - should a deserving leader be promoted or the son?” PM Modi asked.
PM Modi said that the people “hate” such dynasty politics, ruling out any question of sympathy.
“If someone tries to use the word 'sympathy' to evoke sympathy among people, I say even that attempt will fail. People hate such things. They cannot accept such things. These are your family disputes, resolve them within your home. Why are you ruining the state of Maharashtra over this?” PM Modi said.
He added that BJP, on the other hand, has made sacrifices for Maharashtra.
“Some people thought that we want the CM's seat. No. We could have taken the CM's seat, but didn't. We convinced the people of Maharashtra that we live for Maharashtra, not for ourselves. And in this election, this sympathy is in our favour that such a big party, with a chief minister who has been successful is now a deputy chief minister, has sort of put its self-respect on the backburner for the bright future of Maharashtra,” he said, referring to Devendra Fadnavis making way for Eknath Shinde.
PM Modi also rejected talks of any tussle between the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, saying that these issues apply only to the opposition.
He said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has not been able to finalise a seat-sharing pact, adding that “parallel elections are being fought” within the group.
“There is nothing of such sort on our side. We have joined hands and are out to fight unitedly. We have prepared well in advance. Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP have done it. There is no harmony among the fake parties of the opposition,” PM Modi said.
The Lok Sabha elections will be held in Maharashtra in five phases. Voting in the first and second phases concluded on April 19 and April 26 respectively. The final phase will take place on May 20.
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