Might be difficult for Mamata and Naidu to face PM Modi: Athawale

While reacting to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and outgoing Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu's decision to skip Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath-taking ceremony, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said it might be very difficult for both of them to face Modi after the elections.

"Mamata and Chandrababu Naidu have verbally attacked Prime Minister Modi during their election campaigning. Mamata even called him and Amit Shah 'gunda'. So it will be difficult for them to face the Prime Minister and others after they lost the elections terribly," Athawale told ANI.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee declined to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Modi objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function.

Responding to the ongoing discussion on Rahul Gandhi's resignation from the post of Congress president, he said, "It is an internal matter that has to be discussed within the Congress Party. However, we all wish to see Rahul Gandhi as the party President. It is completely on them to decide what to do."

He further said Modi government will work for all the sections of the society for their development. "I would like to appeal my brothers in Muslim community that BJP and its leaders will work together as a single unit for the progress of all because Modi government's aim is to serve everyone equally," he added.

He said, "If the 2014 election was all about Modi, the recent election was all about his work and that is the reason people have voted him back to power. All the schemes he introduced for the poor, Dalits, minorities, and other sections of the society have benefitted him. Under his leadership, the face of the country has changed globally."

Narendra Modi is set to take oath as the Prime Minister for a second consecutive term today.