NC, Abdullahs were once BJP's allies, Pawar reminds Modi

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked him Tuesday for joining forces with the National Conference (NC), NCP chief Sharad Pawar reminded him that the Farooq Abdullah-led party was an ally of the BJP in the past.

He also said that Modi labelled everyone who goes against him as "terrorist".

Earlier in the day, at a rally at Ausa in Maharashtra, Modi asked if it behoved Pawar to side with the NC which has sought a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir.

"The prime minister targets me whenever he comes to Maharashtra. Today also he raised question as to why Sharad Pawar was with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah who is like a terrorist," Pawar tweeted after addressing a campaign meeting for Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora, who is in fray from the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat.

Pawar recalled that the BJP had been a partner of the National Conference in the past in Jammu and Kashmir and also in the Central government.

"Whenever any force ('shakti') goes against Modi, it is dubbed terrorist. This is Modi's policy," Pawar tweeted in Hindi.

The former Union minister also alleged that the prime minister was playing the "Hindu card" as he was left with no other issue, and added, "It was not a good thing".

NC leader Omar Abdullah said last week his party will strive hard for restoring the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a 'Sadar-e-Riyasat' (President) and 'Wazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister).

At the rally at Ausa, Modi wondered if it "behoved the Maratha strongman to join forces with the parties holding such a view".

Modi and Pawar have been taking potshots at each other after the prime minister targeted him at a poll rally at Wardha on April 1.