PM Modi has lost confidence as people want political change, says Sharad Pawar

Nashik, May 16 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has lost his confidence as people want political change this time.

He also criticised Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s leader Praful Patel for placing a ‘jiretop’, the headgear that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used to wear, on PM Modi’s head, stating that it showed the former Union minister’s “lachari” (slavish attitude).

Interacting with media persons here, Pawar said, “I visited many places to campaign during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. People’s mindset is towards (political) change now and Modi has lost his confidence due to it. There is a favourable condition for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state.”

He criticised PM Modi for conducting a roadshow in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area on Wednesday.

“Modi held the roadshow in a Gujarati-dominated area. When you are leading the nation, thinking about caste and religion is not appropriate. Conducting a roadshow in a city like Mumbai is not the right thing to do. People had to wait for hours. They suffered inconvenience due to it…Such complaints were received,” the former Union minister said.

Ahead of the roadshow, Mumbai Metro rail services were suspended between Jagruti Nagar and Ghatkopar stations for security reasons. Police also closed some adjoining roads due to the roadshow and diverted traffic in view of the event.

Talking about the ‘jiretop’ row, Pawar said, “Jiretop and Maharashtra have a history. There is a limit to ‘lachari’. But it is good they said that they will take care in future,” Pawar said.

A controversy erupted over Patel’s act of placing a jiretop on PM Modi’s head before the latter filed his nomination in Varanasi. The act invited a lot of criticism from the opposition.

On PM Modi calling Shiv Sena (UBT) a “fake Shiv Sena”, Pawar said, “What is ‘nakli’ (fake) Shiv Sena? The real Shiv Sainiks are with Uddhav Thackeray.”

When asked about Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s absence from the election related events of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, including PM Modi’s roadshow in Mumbai, he said, “Ajit Pawar is really ill.”