MahaYuti leaders ridiculed and slammed the opposition unity at a grand conclave of party office bearers here at the NSCI complex in Worli on Friday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, DCM Devendra Fadnavis and DCM Ajit Pawar supported and advocated Modi government’s initiative on One Nation One Election and appealed party workers to stay united and work for complete victory. The leaders launched ‘Mission 48’ aimed at winning all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
During the dinner meeting last night, all the parties had resolved to put up a united face. The resolve was seen in action at the grand meeting of party office bearers today. Only Six leaders from the three biggest parties of alliance addressed the gathering.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, whose speech concluded the conclave, ridiculed Uddhav Thackeray’s remarks and in an oblique reference to him not wanting to leave his residence, asked whether he wants to take oath for the post of Prime Minister Online or over facebook?
People have already decided that they want Modi as Prime Minister once again, Shinde said while slamming the opposition unity. That is ‘I.N.D.I.A. Alliance’ and it has nothing to do with India or Bharat. Those who gathered in Mumbai had all been wandering helplessly since 2014, he said.
Referring to a survey that showed 85% people of India want Modi as Prime Minister, Shinde said, “The fact that opposition parties are uniting itself indicates Modi’s victory.”
Shinde also advocated Modi government’s initiative of One Nation, One Election. The decision will save money which can be then used for welfare schemes. The centre has taken all decisions in favour of people till now, he said.
DCM Devendra Fadnavis slammed the opposition for not being able to bridge differences among the members. “Mamata was so angry when there was no seat reserved for her that she left the meeting and went back to Bengal,” he said. Referring to Sharad Pawar’s failed attempts to stop Mamata Banerjee, Fadnavis quipped, “He had tried to stop Ajit pawar twice. But, now everybody knows the right direction.”
“After two days of meeting, they said that they ‘may’ contest elections together,” Fadnavis said while exposing the hollowness of opposition claims.
He also accused the opposition of trying to confuse the people. “They are behaving as per the famous saying that ‘when you can‘t convince people, confuse them’,” Fadnavis said, adding that in the MahaYuti the constituents have willingly joined hands.
Fadnavis also said that the plan is to increase Mumbai’s contribution in the national economy from 6 percent to 20 percent. We shall bring in the development plan for that within next 4 months, he said.
While advocating the One Nation One Election initiative, DCM Ajit Pawar said that it supports the sustainable development of states. Changes and improvements in systems are necessary. But they need to be for the betterment of people. Modi government has shown courage of taking such decisions even at time they appeared politically wrong, Pawar said.
“Just as Shivaji Maharaj created a people’s Swaraj, we have started working under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. We shall move ahead in Modi way,” Ajit Pawar said. On speculations of seperating Mumbai from Maharashtra, he said that it won’t be possible till Sun and Moon are shining in the sky.
Senior minister Gulabrao Patil set the tone. “Generally we shout slogans in the name of our leader. But, now we shall shout slogans in the name of the alliance. That is what is much needed now,” he said. He also slammed the Shiv Sena (UBT). “Since Ajit Dada (Pawar) has joined us, no one calls us Gaddar (traiters),” he said while complimenting the NCP leader for his command over his party.
NCP’s Sunil Tatkare stressed on the display of good governance by the MahaYuti government in the state. All the decisions taken by this government are for the betterment of all the sections of society, he said.
