After Yogi's 'Batenge, Katenge' Slogan, PM Pitches for Unity With 'Ek Hai, Toh Safe Hai' Message

Dhule: Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his campaign on Friday for crucial Maharashtra assembly polls with unity mess of "Ek hai, toh safe hai”, building on his party colleague and Uttar Presh CM Yogi ityanath 's 'batenge to katenge' slogan.

Modi dared Congress allies in Maharashtra to get party MP Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes in praise of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, whose contributions to country, he said, were unparalleled.

dressing two poll rallies during day, BJP 's star campaigner called out Congress for its "divisive" brand of politics characterised by pitting one caste against ar, and maintained since days of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, party has been opposed to reservation.

Seeking votes for ruling Mahayuti coalition, he harped on its development nda and sought to portray Maha Vikas Aghi (MVA) as directionless, saying opposition bloc resembles a vehicle without wheels or brakes with scramble among its partners to occupy driver's seat.

In his first rally at Dhule in rth Maharashtra for vember 20 polls, Modi accused Congress of pitting one caste against ar and urged people to stay united.

“ sole nda of Congress party is to make one caste fight against ar. y do t want SCs, STs and OBCs to progress and get ir due recognition… Remember, ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’ (We are safe if we are united),” BJP stalwart told crowd.

tably, at his rallies, ityanath, a senior BJP leer, has been raising slogan of 'batenge to katenge' (if divided, we perish).

Furr attacking Congress, Modi accused Grand Old Party of being "anti-reservation" since assuming power post-independence.

“Since Nehru’s time, Congress and his family opposed reservation and w ir fourth generation ‘yuvraj’ (prince) is working for caste divisions,” he said, referring to Lok Sabha MP Gandhi.

PM also accused INDIA bloc, of which Congress is a key member, of wanting to take Constitution out of Jammu and Kashmir and asserted power in world can restore Article 370 in Union Territory.

PM said Congress and its allies should t encour “ Pakistan nda” and speak langu of separatists.

“Only Ambedkar’s Constitution will be followed in J&K .You must have seen on TV how a resolution was moved in J&K assembly on bringing back Article 370 and when BJP MLAs protested, y were thrown out. country and Maharashtra should understand this,” Modi said.

BJP’s star campaigner also accused Congress of playing a dangerous game of dividing castes and communities. If ST (Scheduled Tribes), SC (Scheduled Castes) and OBCs (Or Backward Classes) stay united, Congress politics will be over, he said.

Recalling his affinity with Dhule and Maharashtra, Modi said whenever he has asked something from people of state, y have been gracious.

“I sought your blessings in 2014 to end 15 years of misrule of previous government. You graciously ensured that BJP got unprecedented success. Today, I am starting my campaign in Maharashtra from Dhule. Each and every candidate of Mahayuti seeks your blessings,” he said.

“I assure you that pace at which Maharashtra’s development has gained in last two-and-a-half years will t be allowed to stop,” asserted PM.

MVA has intention to work for development of people and state and goal of its leers is to loot citizens, he alleged.

“ MVA (in power from vember 2019-June 2022) put roblocks on development projects and stopped every scheme which could have improved people’s lives. situation changed for better when Mahayuti government was formed (in June 2022),” PM insisted.

In his second rally in joining Nashik district, Modi sought to corner Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, BJP's one-time saffron ally and Hindutva supporter who joined forces with "secular" Congress and united NCP in vember 2019.

''For us, Marathi history, culture is a centre of faith. Savarkar is a source of inspiration. But Congress and its allies never gave Marathi respect it deserves. y abuse Savarkar regularly. A senior MVA leer has asked Congress yuvraj (referring to Gandhi) to stop disrespecting Savarkar as elections are taking place here. Those who consider Savarkar as an icon are with Congress,'' he said.

BJP stalwart accused Congress of trying to weaken and divide OBCs for power, and called it a 'par-jeevi' (parasite) which was dependent on or parties to survive.

''It is a par-jeevi (parasite) which is alive on crutches -- wher it is Maharashtra, Bihar , Uttar Presh or Jharkhand (states where Congress has aligned with regional parties)," he ted.

Modi said Congress was angry with OBCs because ir consolidation in 1990s (which marked era of Mandal politics) resulted in party losing power.

"OBCs became aware of ir rights in 1990s, it brought shutters down on Congress and ir single party rule ended. So, Congress is angry and wants to weaken OBCs and break ir unity ," he maintained.

Describing Congress and its allies as "sinners", he said while BJP and Mahayuti were giving account of ir work, Grand Old Party has opened 'jhoot ki dukan' (shop of lies).

Polls for 288-member assembly will take place on vember 20 and results will be out three days later. 

With PTI Inputs