PM Modi’s emotional call for better life for Mumbaikars...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Mahayuti rally at Shivaji Park on Friday. Pic/Rane Ashish

My government made possible that which was considered impossible by the previous government, be it the Ram Mandir, a blast-free Mumbai for 10 years, the abrogation of Article 370 or 33 per cent reservation for women," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at his 18th and the final public rally for the general election in the state at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Friday.

He added, "This can be achieved through the strength of votes you have given to me. Now I have come with a dream of 2047 with infinite possibilities of development for your children."

Friday marked Modi's second visit to the city within a week after a roadshow in Ghatkopar on Wednesday

In his speech, the PM slammed the Shiv Sena (UBT) for joining hands with those who were "speaking in support of terrorism and questioning surgical strikes". Friday marked Modi's second visit to the city within a week after a roadshow in Ghatkopar on Wednesday. All Mahayuti leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, were present on the stage. The rally marked the first time when MNS chief Raj Thackeray shared a stage with Modi.

Achievements highlighted

Emphasising the construction of the Ram Mandir, which he said had been a dream for at least five centuries, Modi also claimed that there was a time when if a Mumbaikar stepped out of their house, there was no guarantee they would return due to bomb blasts. "But today that's not the case," he made, lambasting the previous governments for security lapses. He added that if the MVA government came to power, they would take away reservation for the backward communities and give it to ‘vote jihad' people. "The Congress is fighting for its position and can do anything," he said.

Modi also took a dig at Congress Prime Ministers, saying they would only deliver speeches on poverty but nothing had been done to remove it.

The prime minister also slammed the grand old party for delaying the nation's overall progress. "When we got independence, India was in the sixth position globally in economic terms. When we took over from Congress in 2014, India had slid to the 11th position and now after 10 years of great effort, India has risen to the fifth position. When I come to meet you again after some time, it will have reached the third position. I have come with a report card of 10 years and a road map for 25 years," he said. In his closing remarks, PM Modi urged the people to support Mahayuti candidates in the upcoming elections. The last phase of voting - for 13 parliamentary constitutions in Mumbai, the metropolitan region and north Maharashtra - will be held on May 20. The BJP is contesting three seats in the city, with Shinde's Shiv Sena faction contesting the other three.

Allegations against MVA

Shinde and Fadnavis slammed Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for "changing his stand" and supporting Congress. Shinde said, "We have been only hearing, ‘They stole my father [Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray], they stole my party they stole my party symbol'. But we do not need the assets and money of Balasaheb. Those have been inherited by you. We will carry forward Balasaheb's thoughts and messages, which you cannot take from us."

Shinde added Bal Thackeray had always opposed the Congress and now Uddhav was urging people to vote for that party. "But the Congress is with Pakistan. There hasn't been a single blast in Mumbai in the past 10 years because Pakistan knows that Modi will do a surgical strike and ‘ghoos ke marega'," he said. Fadnavis highlighted achievements such as the Mumbai Metro, Atal Setu and Coastal Road, saying the Opposition didn't have any development work to speak of.

"During the pandemic, our PM was involved with scientists to make a vaccine in our country while these people were involved in scams involving khichdi, body bags, remdesivir and oxygen. Maharashtra slipped to the third position when the MVA was in power. Now the state has taken the number one position ahead of Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi," he said.

Fadnavis added that Mumbai blast convict Iqbal Moosa had participated in a Sena (UBT) rally while the MVA had questioned the sacrifices made by police officers martyred during 26/11. "If the Opposition is talking about vote jihad then you must vote for the ‘yagnya' of democracy," he said. Ramdas Athawale, leader of the Republican Party of India, said on stage that the Constitution was safe and "we all are strong leaders in the Mahayuti but the MVA is spreading rumours that the alliance is under threat".

Ajit didn't visit Raj's bungalow

Just before the rally, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis were seen along with MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the latter's bungalow's balcony near Shivaji Park. However, DCM Ajit Pawar was seen on the stage at the time.