Mumbai: A sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his erstwhile ally Shiv Sena, which also equated BJP with the "corrupt" Congress and NCP marked the electoral discourse in Maharashtra on Monday.
The Sena claimed that BJP, under the leadership of Modi, "backstabbed" the party and blamed it for the end of their 25-year-old alliance just days ahead of the state Assembly polls on October 15.
A day after Modi steered clear of attacking his former ally as a "tribute" to its late supremo Bal Thackeray, the Sena also raised questions over the 'new-found' respect shown by the Prime Minister for him.
"Modi says that he will not attack the Sena in his speeches as he has respect for Balasaheb Thackeray. We too respect the PM. "But when you back-stabbed us merely on the issue of seat sharing, where did that respect disappear then? Did you not think of Balasaheb before breaking the alliance forged on the principles of Hindutva," the Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
Equating the BJP with the "corrupt" Congress and the NCP, the Sena said that people in Maharashtra have now realized who are the "real and hidden" thieves of the state.
"It is a known fact that the Congress and the NCP have looted Maharashtra. But for what purpose did the CM of Gujarat Anandiben Patel visit Maharashtra? If she asks all the industrialists to set base in Gujarat, leaving Maharashtra behind, this too amounts to looting Maharashtra," the editorial said.
"How do you define keeping an eye on the coffers of the state and making a deal of Mumbai (for the benefit of Gujarat)? Is this not looting Maharashtra ? And then talking about the blessings of Shivaji Maharaj is nothing but a farce," the Sena said. "Never before has anyone opened a market of Shivaji Maharaj's blessings," it added.
In his election rallies, Modi had invoked Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj on several occasions. The Prime Minister while campaigning at Tasgaon in Sangli district yesterday had said that he would "not utter a single word" against the Sena out of his respect for Bal Thackeray.
Modi also drew flak from NCP chief Sharad Pawar after the Prime Minister launched a sharp attack on him during his poll rallies in Maharashtra. "Somebody please tell him about my election record. I have fought 14 elections so far. Will I shirk from polls," Pawar said, addressing a rally at Ahmedpur in Marathwada region.
Modi had on Sunday said that Pawar chose the Rajya Sabha route and did not contest Lok Sabha polls as he was aware that the "ship (UPA government) was sinking." "I am lucky that the country's Prime Minister does not see any leader other than me," Pawar quipped, referring to Modi's diatribe against him. "What does Modi say in these rallies? I can understand if he says something of national interest.
One can also understand if he speaks about changing the life of the common man. But if you take his speech into consideration, the maximum attack is on Sharad Pawar," the NCP chief said.
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