Nanded (Maharashtra) [India]: Congress leader Imran Pratapgarhi on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s slogan “Batenge toh Katenge,” questioning the alliance’s unity and accusing it of disrespecting Maharashtra’s Marathi identity.
Pratapgarhi said, “I think the alliance members of the Mahayuti have rejected this. Have you not heard of Ajit Pawar’s interview? Do the Mahayuti even agree on this slogan among themselves? And no one can agree on this slogan.”
He contrasted this with Congress’s focus on unity and social welfare, saying, “Whatever their slogan may be, this is our slogan: ‘Aaiye nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholte hai’ (Let us open shops of love in the marketplace of hate). This fight is between love and hatred, and Maha Vikas Aghadi loves the people of Maharashtra.”
Pratapgarhi then highlighted Congress’s development promises, such as a Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for women, free bus tickets, Rs 50 lakh in health insurance, and job creation for youth. He accused the BJP of “insulting Marathi identity,” referencing repeated security checks on Uddhav Thackeray, and added, “You will see that the people of Maharashtra will definitely take revenge for this.” Pratapgarhi also stressed that Congress aims to protect Maharashtra’s rights and resources.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing rallies in Chimur, Solapur, and Pune earlier on Tuesday, accused Congress of creating divisions and stirring caste conflicts. He called for unity under the slogan “hum ek hain to safe hain” (we are safe if we are united) and claimed Congress was unhappy with Maharashtra’s unity, seeking to create divisions. “Congress is unhappy with your unity and wants one caste to fight another. Will you allow this conspiracy to succeed?” he asked the crowd.
Modi also accused Congress of failing to keep promises in Karnataka, alleging corruption and claiming funds raised there are being used to finance Congress’s campaign in Maharashtra. “In Karnataka, scams are being unearthed every other day… Congress is looting people in broad daylight,” he said, urging voters to reject Congress “to save Maharashtra.”
Highlighting achievements of the BJP-led government, Modi praised initiatives supporting women, including the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which Congress reportedly opposed in court. He also noted BJP’s progress in ethanol blending to benefit farmers, saying, “Farmers have received Rs 80,000 crore due to ethanol, and sugarcane farmers were the biggest beneficiaries.”
In Pune, Modi underlined the BJP’s longstanding connection with the city, calling it rooted in “ideology, culture, and faith.” He promised accelerated development, assuring that the coming years would bring “new flights of development for Pune.”
With voting set for November 20 and counting on November 23, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi are working hard to secure support for Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats.