NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for its commitment to empowering all sections of society, contrasting it with the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) administration.
Speaking to BJP workers as part of the “Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot” initiative, PM Modi stressed the importance of securing booth-level support in the November 20 assembly elections, emphasising the need for targeted outreach.
“The Mahayuti government is trying to empower every section of the society. This is the difference between our government and the Aghadi government, and people are feeling this difference,” PM Modi said, noting the public’s satisfaction with the current government’s 2.5-year tenure. “People want our government to be in power for the next five years. We have felt this across Maharashtra,” he added.
PM Modi encouraged BJP booth workers to rally grassroots support through strategic meetings with women, youth, and farmers, and to utilise videos showcasing the achievements of the BJP-led government. “Wherever I went, I saw the hard work of our workers,” he stated, urging workers to make known what he described as “lies” propagated by the opposition MVA alliance.
“You people are direct representatives of Modi. People feel reassured by telling you their hopes and aspirations,” he said, emphasising the role of BJP members in bridging the gap between the public and the government.
PM Modi also criticised Congress, alleging that it had historically relied on voter divisions. “Till the time SCs, STs, and OBCs in the country were unaware, Congress used to form government with full majority at the Centre,” he said. “But ever since these communities have united, the position of Congress has been weakening. Therefore, the Congress now wants to break the SCs, STs, and OBCs to such an extent that there is no power left to counter the Congress.”
Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde expressed confidence in a “hat-trick” victory for the alliance in the upcoming state polls, comparing the election campaign to a cricket match. “We have been elected twice and now it is the turn of a hat-trick. We have to take the wicket of the opponent and take it with a good majority,” Shinde said at a rally in Mumbai’s Dahisar.
He added that grassroots engagement was critical, saying, “We have to do face-to-face meetings. We have to listen to people and solve their problems. We are ground-level workers.” Shinde defended initiatives like the Ladli Behan Yojana, dismissing opposition claims that the scheme was merely a tactic to gain favour among women voters. Instead, he called it a step toward female empowerment.
