Nadda launches BJP’s ‘mission 144’ in Maharashtra, targets Uddhav Thackeray

MUMBAI:  BJP president JP Nadda on Monday launched the party’s ‘Mission 144’ at Chandrapur in Maharashtra while attacking the Opposition and called Uddhav Thackeray as a backstabber for having occupied the chief minister’s chair. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had lost 144 seats, which the party is focusing on for the 2024 polls. In Maharashtra, the BJP is targeting 18 such seats, including Chandrapur and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s bastion, Baramati.

Addressing a public rally in Chandrapur, Nadda targeted Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, calling him greedy for the chief minister’s post. “Uddhav Thackeray joined hands with people who late Balasaheb Thackeray fought his entire life,” Nadda said.

He also called the MVA alliance of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress as an unnatural tie-up. He added that, in 2019, Uddhav shared the stage with the BJP and agreed to form the government with Narendra Modi in Delhi and Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra. However, when the election results came, Uddhav began to eye the chief minister’s chair, he said.