Digging out at the oppositions, CM Fadnavis expresses his grief over questioning genuineness of the cross-border strike

Mumbai, March 25: “Only two types of people are questioning the surgical strikes. One of them is Pakistan and the other one is Congress and its allies. After the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, there was only condemnation. But after the terror attack in Uri (in 2017), our government carried out a surgical strike”, said Devendra Fadnavis in the first campaign rally of the BJP-led NDA for the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

 

Chief Minister Fadnavis on Sunday attacked the Congress for questioning genuineness of the cross-border strike. Further attacking the NCP chief Sharad Pawar in the rally, which was held in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, known as the stronghold of the Congress and the NCP, Fadnavis said, “Given that Kolhapur district is the nerve centre of sugar politics from where the NCP and Congress draw its electoral strength”.

“We may understand little about sugar industry, but we have taken more decisions for this industry than anyone else,” he added. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray also joined the Chief Minister attacking Pawar for destroying Maharashtra during his long political career.

“Kolhapur and Sangli districts had witnessed violence in January this year in the wake of the failure of some sugar factories to pay arrears to sugarcane cultivators.

Appealing the people to vote for the BJP again”, Fadnavis said a large number of bank accounts were opened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Some Rs 80,000 crore has been transferred into bank accounts under several welfare schemes. It is my open challenge to the Congress and the NCP to compare the figures of my government to their rule of 15 years prior to 2014,” he said.

The Sena chief also taunted the Congress and the NCP over a string of leaders from both the parties defecting to the NDA partners in the run-up to Lok Sabha polls. “I do not know if anybody is left in the Opposition camp to contest against us. At this rate of exodus. I hope the BJP will not induct Sharad Pawar into its fold one day,” he said.

Thackeray announced candidature of Narendra Patil from Satara Lok Sabha constituency, who will contest against NCP stalwart and sitting MP Udayanraje Bhosale. Out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the BJP and the Sena will contest 25 and 23 seats each.