As campaign culminates for 11 constituencies in Maharashtra, schooling, scolding and slandering on pause for now

Referring to the offer made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pawar said he and Uddhav Thackeray will never join hands with BJP. ”We will never join people who target a particular community,” he said.

Pawar said that misusing power was a speciality of Modi. ”The PM is walking the nation on the path of dictatorship. For us, this election is important to protect our democracy,” he said.

Narendra Modi, the veteran leader said, should remember that he is the nation’s Prime Minister. ”Modi is the PM of the nation, and not of a particular community. But he is trying to spread animosity about a particular community by making divisive statements. Uddhav and I will not support any ideology which is not in the interest of the nation,” he said.

Reacting to Pawar’s rejection of the offer to join BJP, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, during an interaction with reporters, said, ”The Prime Minister has made no offer, he has only given advice…”

Fadnavis, when speaking to the press at Patrakar Sangh and attending the concluding day rally for party candidate Murlidhar Mohol in the city, hit back at Pawar. ”When his party becomes weak, Pawar merges his party with Congress. And when his party is strong, he walks away from the Congress.”

Fadnavis said the split in Sena and NCP was of their own doing. ”For Sena, family came first. For NCP, the first family came first,” he said, taking a jibe at both Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

Fadnavis said the Opposition has only one job — to abuse Modi and bring him down. Fadnavis said in the last 10 years, Pune has progressed on all fronts under BJP rule. ”The Metro is a dream-come-true for Pune, and the next project is the Purandar airport,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pawar, continuing his attack on the PM said , ”Only the Gandhi–Nehru ideology can keep the country together, and this is the only way forward. After the first three phases of elections, Modi has become restless, so he is making such statements,” Pawar reiterated.

Pawar said he had heard Modi’s statements Muslims. ”To keep the nation united, we have to take everyone along. Modi’s statements could spread bitterness,” he said.

Stating that while he was proud of the 4,000-km padyatra undertaken by Rahul Gandhi, Modi has been taunting him as ‘shahzada’. By all means, criticise Rahul over speeches, but why resort to personal attacks? His father and his grandmother sacrificed all for the nation, what is Modi’s contribution to the nation?” he asked.

The senior NCP founder was glad to hear that Delhi CM Kejriwal had been released from jail. ”The BJP put Sanjay Raut, Anil Deshmukh in jail. A journalist was put behind bars. Even a former State Home Minister is jailed. Modi is taking the country towards dictatorship,” he said.

Top leaders of their respective parties like Priyanka Gandhi, Raj Thackeray, Nitin Gadkari, Sharad Pawar, Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, among others, held rallies in different constituencies.

At a rally in Nandurbar, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also took pot shots at Modi. ”Do you want a fearless leader who speaks the truth? Or a leader who goes on lying?” she asked voters.

Ajit Pawar who held a rally for BJP candidate Pankaja Munde in Beed, said he will recommend her name for a ministerial post after June 4 victory.

At the same rally, Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Pankaja Munde became emotional and could be seen wiping away tears. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, workers and leaders of two Senas clashed, and only a timely intervention by the police saved the day. In Ahmednagar, heavy rain put a damper on party rallies. In Maval, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a road show for party candidate Shrirang Barne.

Among the 11 constituencies going to polls on May 3 are Pune City, Maval, Shrirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Beed and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Among key candidates (in the fray) are Union Ministers Raosaheb Danve and Bharati Pawar, BJP leader Pankaja Munde, actor Amol Kolhe, sitting MPs Sujay Vikhe-Patil, Heena Gavit and Raksha Khadse and Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar.

For Mahayuti candidates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies at Nandurbar, Ahmednagar, Pune and Beed. For Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates, Rahul Gandhi held a couple of rallies. Priyanka Gandhi held a rally in Nandurbar on Saturday. Besides all states leaders like Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, MPCC chief Nana Patole held rallies repeatedly in these constituencies. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also addressed a few rallies.

The Prime Minister’s rally held in Pune for four Mahayuti candidates drew more attention as he targeted Sharad Pawar, describing him as a ‘bhatakti aatma’ (wandering soul). The Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders hit back at him for what they called attempts to spread superstition among people.

Among the constituencies where the contest has turned bitter includes Ahmednagar where sitting MP Sujay Vikhe has locked horns with Nilesh Lanke of NCP (SP). The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar seat is probably the only one among 11 seats where there is a triangular contest. Sitting MP Imtiaz Jaleel of the AIMIM is facing a challenge from Chandrakant Khaire of Sena (UBT) and Sandeepan Bhumre of Sena.

In Pune city, Murlidhar Mohol of BJP and Ravindra Dhangekar of the Congress are battling it out. The contest did not generate much heat, and both are contesting Lok Sabha elections for the first time. The BJP had secured landslide victories in the last two Lok Sabha elections. The Congress, by fielding Dhangekar, who had won the prestigious Kasba Peth bypoll, is hoping for a turn around in its fortunes.

In Shirur constituency, a bitter duel like the one that unfolded in Baramati contest was seen between NCP candidate, the sitting MP and actor Amol Kolhe and former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil.