Lok Sabha elections 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed for having to vote for Congress, says CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde. Pic/Maharashtra CMO

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed for disregarding the principles of Bal Thackeray and having to vote for the Congress.

The Congress has fielded Varsha Gaikwad from Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat, from where Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is a voter.

Gaikwad had met Thackeray on Friday and the latter had assured her of victory.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which also has the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP).

Speaking at a massive Lok Sabha elections 2024 rally in Kolhapur which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinde said the move was a diversion from Bal Thackeray's resolve of not allowing the (undivided) Shiv Sena to become like the Congress.

"The Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed of itself," the Maharashtra CM asserted.

Speaking at the rally, Shinde said the PM had selflessly dedicated himself in the service of the nation whereas the opposition lacked any kind of leadership.

Slamming Rahul Gandhi and the state of the Congress, he said the grand old party was like a seed that was sprouting discord.

"Maharashtra resonates with the PM Modi's vision of progress and development. He was born for national politics. The country needs a prime minister who forgets the sorrow of his mother's death and serves selflessly. Rahul Gandhi wants to be PM by clinging onto his mother," Shinde said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday targeted the Congress-led INDIA alliance, saying it is mulling to have five prime ministers in five years if voted to power.

Addressing a Lok Sabha elections 2024 rally at Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, PM Modi said the opposition bloc cannot even reach a three-digit figure or "at the doorstep of forming a government, but has plans to have one prime minister every year if they get a chance".

"In Karnataka, Congress has planned to rotate the post of the chief minister by handing it to the deputy chief minister after 2.5 years. They had this arrangement in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan as well," he said.

PM Modi said the Congress wants to extend the "Karnataka model wherein Muslims were inducted in the 27 per cent quota for OBCs", in the entire country.

"The Congress-led alliance has vowed to murder social justice," he said and accused the Congress of stooping low for appeasement and vote bank politics.

"Congress wants to change the Constitution and rob Dalits, OBCs of quota benefits for religion-based reservation," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)