Lok Sabha elections 2024: ‘Nobody knows need for stable govt like this state’

BJP supporters at the rally where Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned for the party’s Chandrapur candidate, Sudhir Mungantiwar. Pic/Satej Shinde

Openly calling the Congress party the mother of all problems in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the star campaigner of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), officially sounded the war cry in the Vidarbha region on Monday. Listing scores of issues that the country has been grappling with, Modi rhetorically asked the crowd who was responsible for them. Taking the cue, it replied, "Congress".

The Chandrapur public meeting marks the kick-off to Modi's 10 election rallies in the state. Notably, Chandrapur was the only BJP bastion in the Vidarbha region that was breached by the Congress's Suresh ‘Balu' Dhanorkar in 2019. The MP passed away in 2023. The BJP has fielded Sudhir Mungantiwar against Dhanorkar's widow, Pratibha who is the sitting MLA from Warora. The Chandrapur, or Chanda as it is popularly referred to, seat is expected to witness a tough battle.

Chimur resident Mangala Bai; (right) Tanvi Aapulwar, 17, who travelled to Morwa from her village with her grandmother

Addressing the crowd at the public meeting at the Morwa airport plot at Chandrapur, Modi said, "As the mercury level has soared, so has the political climate. Yet, your enthusiasm remains unwavering. This time, Chandrapur has decided to echo the slogan ‘Abki baar, 400 par'."

Greetings in Marathi

Modi said, "Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of a new season, a new year, starting tomorrow, we should all make a resolution and start a new era for this country." The PM started his address in Marathi, to which the crowd cheered loudly.

Modi launched the campaign for Mungantiwar, delivering a strong critique of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Uddhav Thackeray. He urged the public to defy the scorching weather and turn out in large numbers to vote. "Achieving ‘400 par' will set a record, but before that, you must create a new record by turning out in large numbers on polling morning," Modi emphasised.

"The 2024 Lok Sabha election embodies a battle between stability and instability. On one side, the BJP which is part of NDA is making crucial decisions for the country's progress. On the other, the Congress and its INDIA are pursuing power and privileges. Who understands the necessity of a stable government better than Maharashtra?" Modi asked, alleging neglect during the previous MVA government.

Potshots at Opposition

He sharply criticised the Congress and the previous MVA government in Maharashtra, stating, "It is the primary duty of a political party to address the country's issues. However, the Congress party itself is the source of numerous problems. Their approach to any development work has been to demand commissions or create obstacles. They halted and opposed important projects during their reigns such as the greenfield airport in Chandrapur and the Mumbai Metro. They obstructed initiatives like the Jalyukt Shivar project and discontinued the Baliraja Jal Sanjeevani Yojana for irrigation in Vidarbha and Marathwada. They opposed the Samruddhi Mahamarg project and even withheld houses from the underprivileged despite receiving funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana."

BJP supporters at the rally

"In contrast," Modi continued, "Our government has revived and reinstated all these projects. By voting for our candidates in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, and across the nation, you'll be supporting me. I wasn't born into a royal family; I emerged from a humble background, working tirelessly for the people of this nation. But as the Marathi saying goes, ‘Kadu karla, tupaat talala, sakhret gholala, tari te kaduch' - even if you fry bitter gourd in ghee and dip it in sugar, it will remain bitter."

Emphasis on upliftment

Highlighting the government's commitment to empowering marginalised communities, PM Modi reflected on the various welfare measures enacted to uplift Dalits, tribals and backward classes nationwide. He attributed the successful implementation of these initiatives to the support of the people, underscoring the transformative influence of their votes.

He continued, "The Congress manifesto echoes the rhetoric and is written in the language of the Muslim League, with their MPs discussing the potential for another partition of India. Members of INDIA are even threatening to bring about the secession of South India. The DMK speaks of eradicating Sanatan traditions, likening them to dengue and malaria." Apart from Ashok Nete, the BJP candidate from Gadchiroli and Mungantiwar, CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis also spoke at the meeting.

‘From Chanda to Banda'

Mungantiwar said, "The Congress has been claiming that they will get my election security deposit forfeited. My election security is the hard-earned money contributed by the masses and not earned by selling liquor. Please cast your vote for the desh (country) and not deshi (country liquor). I want to remind you that voting for Congress is alike voting for mafia raj, voting for Congress is alike hitting your foot with a hammer."

Sudhir Mungantiwar

He added, "If there was an Olympic medal for lying, it should awarded to Rahul Gandhi with a diamond added to it."Addressing the crowd, Fadnavis said, "I am very happy and Thankful that PM Modi started the election campaign from Chandrapur. We can say that Mahayuti will reign from Chanda to Banda. This will prove to be the end of Congress."

CongressSpeak

Nana Patole, Congress state president, reacted to the Muslim League jibe, saying "The Muslim League is Modi's ideological forefathers' old love, and they had also forged a political alliance for power." He added, "When the entire country took to the streets in support of the Quit India Movement of 1942, Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was running the government in Bengal, Sindh and the North West Frontier Province with the help of the Muslim League and was trying to suppress the movement."

He added, "What right does Modi have to speak about corruption? Who allies with people accused of corruption and gives them respectable posts? Why doesn't Modi speak about how electoral bonds worth crores were amassed by blackmailing corporate companies and in exchange of giving huge contracts to companies?"

Crowd reactions

Tanvi Aapulwar, 17, travelled to Morwa from her village with her grandmother. She expressed gratitude for getting a chance to see him. Asked what she would have asked him given the opportunity, Tanvi highlighted the issue of girls dropping out of education due to high fees, urging PM Modi to make education more affordable, even in private institutes.

Avinash Dhawan, a cotton farmer from Korpana village near Chandrapur, expressed hope for assistance from the PM and Vidarbha candidates to secure better prices for cotton. Comparing PM Modi to Sant Ghadge Maharaj, Bhayyaji Mirge, a retired employee of the ordinance factory in Chandrapur, emphasised Modi's efforts in cleaning the country, much like the revered figure.

Mangala Bai, from Chimur, shared her surprise at the large crowd and recounted the discussion about LPG gas schemes at the meeting. While some might have benefited, she expressed disappointment at not receiving benefits yet.