Lok Sabha Elections 2024: What’s behind PM’s asli-nakli googly?

Despite them slamming him left, right and centre as well as predicting doom for him on June 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would still love to have Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Modi made an offer to this effect on Friday, asking Thackeray and Pawar, the respective heads of the Sena and NCP factions, to join NDA through their ‘asli' parties (Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP), instead of merging with Congress.

The offer came at the PM's rally in Nandurbar in Maharashtra on Friday, in the wake of Pawar's statement that many regional parties would go closer to Congress or merge with the national party after the Lok Sabha elections.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. PIC/ANURAG AHIRE

"The ‘nakli NCP' and ‘nakli Shiv Sena' have decided to merge with Congress. I would say that supporting us and winning is better than supporting Congress and losing after June 4; go with our Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar," said the PM, evoking strong reactions from Pawar and Congress leaders. The PM's Friday speech was yet another talking point, following his query about whether Adani and Ambani had a black money deal with the Congress to buy Rahul Gandhi's silence.

What? Again?

Modi's public offer to Thackeray and Pawar raised many eyebrows in political circles, which wanted to know why Modi would be interested in the parties, which, according to him, were fake; and the leaders, who according to him, had lost their influence and dominance. According to Pawar's nephew Ajit, his uncle had backtracked at least twice in the past after agreeing to join the BJP government. In this context, the PM's offer confused voters even more. The voters are already perplexed because of unexpected alliances and party splits. Currently, such is the situation that the enemies of the past have become friends. The abuser is the praiser. But the voters are still there, holding their ground and feeling the unforeseen melee. They have waited for their turn to express themselves through ballots to decide who is ‘nakli' (fake) and who is ‘asli' (real). They will go out to vote when half the seats in Maharashtra (24/48) go to polls on May 13 and 20.

No, nay, never

Rejecting the offer, Pawar said the country's parliamentary democracy was under threat because of Modi. He cited the arrests of the Delhi and Jharkhand CMs ahead of polls to substantiate his claim. State Congress president Nana Patole said the offer confirmed the BJP's defeat. "The voters have not responded to the BJP's Hindu-Muslim politics. It is ignominious of the PM to make an offer to those he had been criticising," added Patole.

State Congress president Nana Patole at a rally in Sakoli, Bhandara on April 13. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE

Thackeray's associate Sanjay Raut said that the BJP wasn't expected to cross a 200-seat mark in Lok Sabha, and Modi would need the support from others to form a government. "The BJP's allies will not win even two or three seats, whereas Thackeray and Pawar will win the most. Modi is trying to be good to them in anticipation of help. But we will not fall for Modi, because going with him is suicidal for the country," he said.