PM Modi a world leader now, but Oppn parties pained by his popularity, says Devendra Fadnavis

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis (PTI)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "world leader" and said his stature on the global stage has grown significantly, but criticised the opposition parties, alleging that they were pained by his growing popularity.

Speaking to reporters in Solapur, around 400 km from here, Fadnavis said although the opposition parties are coming together only to oppose PM Modi, people have faith in him.

During the recently-held Quad Summit in Japan's Hiroshima, US President Joe Biden walked up to PM Modi and one of the points he made was the large number of requests he was getting from prominent citizens to attend the Indian leader's programmes during his next month state visit to Washington DC. Biden even told Modi in a lighter vein that he should take his autograph, officials earlier said.

Referring to it, Fadnavis said, "Even the US president has said that he is struggling to issue passes for PM Modi's dinner as they are overwhelmed by the response of the Indian diaspora in the US. Biden even wants to take Modi's autograph." Modi is set to visit the US in June and one of the key events during his visit would be the dinner organised at the White House for which tickets are being issued.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday met Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to seek support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi. He met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday.

Commenting on it, Fadnavis sarcastically said, "I am glad that Kejriwal is meeting Sharad Pawar. He had once used such words against him (Pawar) that I can not utter here. Similarly, his acidic remarks against Thackeray and Shiv Sena's commentary against him is widely known. The videos of those days are being circulated again."

"They all are coming together only to oppose PM Modi. But people have trust in Modi, which cannot be forgotten...Modi returned today from his foreign tour. The Australian PM called him boss; the countries like Papua New Guinea and Fiji bestowed their highest civilian awards on him," he said.

"Our leader has now become world leader. Some people appear to be pained by it, although they should have been happy. Irrespective of how they see him, Modi has become a world leader. We don't have any medicine for such ailing opposition members," he added.

Modi's elevation on the international stage is India's elevation as well. But some people in this country fail to see it, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

Fadnavis also criticised the opposition parties for their decision to boycott the May 28 inauguration of the new Parliament building at the hands of PM Modi.

Twenty opposition parties have decided to boycott the inauguration, saying it was an insult to the great nation and an attack on the country's democratic values. They have claimed that the prime minister's decision to inaugurate the new Parliament complex by himself "completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy which demands a commensurate response".