Allies important for BJP: PM Modi to NDA MPs

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, addressing a meeting of NDA MPs from Maharashtra and Goa, lashed out at former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

According to sources, Prime Minister Modi criticised Thackeray without taking his name and said that he (Thackeray) "broke the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, not the BJP".

He asserted that allies are important for the BJP.

Prime Minister Modi said that even when the Shiv Sena was in power with the BJP, Saamana (Shiv Sena's mouthpiece) used to criticise him and his government without any reason, to create "unnecessary controversies, but despite this the BJP followed the coalition ethics, tolerated it and took it very lightly at times".

Further targeting Thackeray, without taking his name, Prime Minister Modi said that he wants to remain in power and criticise at the same time. How can these two things (coalition and criticism) be possible together?, he asked.

Describing the NDA and its allies as "important" for the BJP, he said that the BJP made Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister of Bihar despite having less number of MLAs, when Eknath Shinde came with the BJP, "we made Shinde the Chief Minister of Maharashtra because friends and partners are important for the BJP".

"Whoever stays with the BJP will be respected," sources quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Targeting Sharad Pawar, Prime Minister Modi said that Pawar did not promote many talented people due to nepotism.

Praful Patel and many other MPs of NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) were also present in the meeting.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the "contradiction in the relationship between Congress and Sharad Pawar", saying that Congress "did not allow Pawar to become the Prime Minister of the country because of dynasticism and it also did not promote many other talented leaders".

Giving a stern warning to those who did wrong while in politics, the Prime Minister said that he took action against those who did wrong while in power, cut off their tickets and even punished them for their mistake during the election campaign.

Earlier, during a meeting with the NDA MPs from Rajasthan, Prime Minister Modi called upon all the MPs to work unitedly to win the elections.

Addressing the Rajasthan MPs, Prime Minister Modi, according to sources, claimed that during the tenure of any government in Rajasthan, the condition of the state was not as bad as it is at present.

Referring to the Assembly elections to be held later this year, he said that for the development of the country, it is very important to win Rajasthan and for this everyone needs to work together.

Prime Minister Modi asserted that the BJP's ‘