Lesson must be taught to them, do not mortgage Maharashtra to Modi, Shah : Kharge

He was speaking at the Sadbhavana Rally at Mumbai, marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were also present at the event.

Calling Congress workers to throw the BJP out of Maharashtra “which is nothing less than poison,” Kharge said that he Congratulated the people of the state for not giving seats to the BJP as it stopped Narendra Modi from becoming the dictator.

“Had BJP won two third majority, he (Narendra Modi) would have gone to change the constitution. I congratulate the people of Maharashtra, Congress and the alliance for not giving seats to Narendra Modi. You stopped Modi from becoming dictator,” said Kharge. He added that the government may not run for long but will fall soon.

“But this is not over. We need even the MLAs to protect the constitution as they elect Rajya Sabha MPs. If we don’t win the states, we cannot elect Rajya Sabha MPs. How can we stop the constitutional amendments in Rajya Sabha?” he asked.

Earlier, speaking at the program Thackeray said that all in MVA standing together and not infighting during elections will be a true tribute to the memories of late Rajiv Gandhi.

“The BJP accuses me of leaving Hindutva because I joined hands with the Congress. But what about BJP joining hands with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who wanted to make India free of the RSS…the BJP accuses everyone else of indulging in Jihad. I think, the BJP itself is committing ‘Satta Jihad’ (power jihad) as it stoops to any level to keep the power,” said Thackeray. He maintained that he has never left Hindutva, but his Hindutva is not about hurting people of other religions but taking everyone along.

Taking a dig at PM Modi and BJP’s campaign of ‘Ab ki bar 400 par,’ Thackeray said that it was Rajiv Gandhi, who, without any slogan crossed the 400 mark. “One must remember that at a time that someone never give up on the post of even housing society chairman, it was Rajiv Gandhi who decentralized power through his various initiatives,” Thackeray said, adding that he Gandhi never put his photograph on the vaccination certificate even though he undertook several vaccination campaigns during his term.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said that the rulers in the country get uneasy with the mention of the Nehru family. “I have observed it at many places. It is unfortunate that the country’s Prime Minister and his colleagues have reservations with the family which gave its four generations to the country. Irrespective of his criticism, the contribution of the Nehru family in this country’s progress cannot be wiped out,” he said.