Lok Sabha elections 2024: Sanjay Raut likens Modi to Aurangzeb; BJP says people will give befitting reply to such attacks

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, inviting a sharp retort from the BJP which said the people of the country will give a befitting reply to such attacks on the PM, reported news agency PTI.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024, addressing a rally in Buldhana in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, Sanjay Raut said while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of Maratha empire, was born in Maharashtra, Aurangzeb was born in present-day Gujarat.

"There is a place called Dahod (in Gujarat) where Modi was born, Aurangzeb was also born there. So this Aurangzebi attitude is marching towards Maharashtra from Gujarat and Delhi, and also against the Shiv Sena and our self-respect. Don't say Modi has come, say Aurangzeb has arrived. We will bury them," Raut said, reported PTI.

Hitting back, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Shiv Sena (UBT) has stood with those who have eulogised Aurangzeb and referred to Shivaji Maharaj's raid on Surat as "loot of Surat", reported PTI.

"The people of the country will respond to all such attacks in an effective way," Trivedi said in New Delhi, reported PTI.

He asserted the more opposition parties show hatred towards Prime Minister Modi, the more people will shower love on him and help the BJP-led NDA cross the figure of 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Meanwhile, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said seat-sharing agreement for the Lok Sabha elections among the ruling coalition allies in Maharashtra will be "respectful" and will be finalised this weekend, reported PTI.

Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra unit president of the NCP, said the ongoing comprehensive review of all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state was delaying finalization of seat-sharing between his party, the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, all constituents of the ruling 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance), reported PTI.

The Lok Sabha MP told reporters that a "respectful" seat-sharing deal will be worked out by this weekend between the NDA allies, reported PTI.

Last week, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced 20 names from Maharashtra in its second list of candidates for the April-May Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Tatkare said the Supreme Court has allowed his party to use the 'clock' symbol in polls and did not accept the arguments put forth by the rival NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) on the issue.

He claimed the rival faction had argued in the SC that the clock symbol was so well-known among people that electors supporting the Sharad Pawar group could vote for it, leading to the defeat of their (NCP-SP) candidates.

(With inputs from PTI)