Advises them against ‘dying’ by merging with Congress

Nandurbar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) to join hands with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde after Lok Sabha poll results instead of “dying by merging” with the Congress.

“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 Nandurbar seat, the BJP has renominated incumbent MP Heena Gavi, who is pitted against Gowaal Padavi of Congress. The constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of the general elections on May 13.

“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,” NCP (SP) chief 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 said, targeting Sam Pitroda, former chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.

Pitroda on Wednesday resigned after stoking controversy with his remarks that cited ethnic and racial identities like Chinese, Africans, Arabs and Whites to describe the physical appearance of Indians.

“Congress calls people with Lord Krishna’s colour as Africans. So they didn’t want Droupadi Murmu to be the President of India. Isn’t it an insult of adivasis,” Modi asked.

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.

They have also got a bomb blast accused for election campaigning, he said, referring to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. “These people have lost public support and their political space has eroded. People of India are my security cover. These people can’t bury me alive or dead,” he said.

Providing quota benefits on the basis of religion is against the very values and principles enshrined in our Constitution, Modi said. As long as he is alive, Modi said, he will not let an “inch” of reservation of Dalits, adivasis and OBCs be taken away on the basis of religion.