Join Ajit, Shinde instead of perishing with Congress: PM Modi tells Pawar, Uddhav

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday (April 10) that the "replica NCP and Shiv Sena" have resolved to amalgamate with the Congress post the June 4 Lok Sabha election outcomes. However, he suggested they consider aligning with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde instead.

“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,” 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,” 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,'' Modi said.

“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,” Sharad Pawar had told The Indian Express.

Speaking at the rally, 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 added.

In an apparent reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s alleged comment about “burying him in Maharashtra just like Mughal emperor Aurangzeb”, Modi said, those from the duplicate Sena are speaking of burying him alive.

“The nakli Shiv Sena wants to bury me alive. They abuse me in such a way that it will be liked by their favourite vote bank,” Modi 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 Modi is alive, I will not let reservations of Dalits, adivasis, OBCs to be given to Muslims on basis of religion,” he said.

(With agency inputs)