Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday, 6 April, urged people to vote for the Congress-NCP alliance, advocating Rahul Gandhi for prime ministership.
“Let’s see how Rahul Gandhi performs as prime minister,” said Raj, addressing a gathering of MNS workers at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.
He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi frittered away the huge mandate he had won in 2014 and spent the last five years in changing names of the schemes that were launched by the previous Congress regime, news agency PTI reported.
The MNS chief referred to a recent statement from the US which stated that all the F-16 jets in Pakistani fleet were accounted for, contrary to the Indian government's claim that one intruding jet was shot down after the Balakot aerial strike.
"Why did PM Modi lie on this? He should answer that. Modi had got such a rare opportunity, as the BJP had won the majority vote in 2014, 30 years after (late PM) Rajiv Gandhi secured such a huge mandate. What did you do in five years?" he questioned.
He also drew a parallel between the “acche din” promise and a similar slogan given by the then US President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940s and by German dictator Adolf Hitler.
‘Modi Won Majority By Fluke’
People spent their entire life wishing to be the prime minister, but Modi, "who won the majority by a fluke", kept "lying" to people all these years," the MNS chief said in an apparent reference to BJP veteran L K Advani.
“In the last five years, the prime minister has not held even a single press conference. Why is he scared to face journalists and answer their questions? He could have done so much.”Raj Thackeray
Modi Could Have Done Wonders
Thackeray, who used to praise Modi when he used to be chief minister of Gujarat before turning his critic, also clarified his position.
“Traits of Modi and Hitler are similar. The then US president Franklin Roosevelt had also said that good days would come. Even Hitler had said the same. And now Modi is also talking about acche din,” he said.
"People ask me why did I support the PM earlier and now I criticise him. My explanation is that since the man (Modi) has changed so did my stand," he said.
Further attacking the prime minister, Thackeray said even when he goes to meet his old mother once a year during her birthday, he takes press photographers along.
"What is this? My mother lives with me. Should I also start taking cameras when I go to meet her in the next room?" he quipped.
“Modi could have done wonders in the country because he had a majority government. He, however, only changed the names of the schemes implemented by the Congress.”Raj Thackeray
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