BJP lost in Maharashtra where PM held rallies during LS polls: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the BJP lost 10-12 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, where its top leader addressed poll rallies. Modi is on a campaign trail in the state on Tuesday, addressing election rallies at Chimur in Chandrapur district, Solapur and Pune. 

"It is the right of the prime minister to address election rallies.  There is no need to pay much attention to it," Pawar told reporters here. "But keep one thing in mind, the prime minister addressed 16 rallies during the Lok Sabha elections and the BJP lost 10-12 seats where he addressed rallies.  So, let him come," the former Union minister said in response to a question on the prime minister's rallies scheduled for Tuesday. In the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, the BJP's number of seats came down to nine from its 2019 tally of 23.

Pawar dismissed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's charge of promoting caste-based politics. "He (Thackeray) gets importance for a few months ahead of elections.  So, I don't take him seriously," the veteran leader said. Pawar also hit out at senior BJP leader Raosaheb Danve, who was caught on camera kicking a supporter, and said the way the saffron party treated its party workers was out for everyone to see.  The ruling Mahayuti alliance of Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP is locked in a fierce contest with the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising NCP (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress in the November 20 assembly elections in Maharashtra.