With less than a week to go for the commencement of polling in the country, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has upped the ante, stating that Narendra Modi will not be the Prime Minister for long.
Addressing a rally here on Sunday, Pawar said, "The nation's mood towards Prime Minister Modi has changed. He is not going to stay for sure after this election."
However, Pawar refuted assertions by a section of Opposition leaders that the ensuing Lok Sabha polls will be last in the country if BJP comes to power once again.
"Today in the whole country, we see a different situation and many experts say that if this continues, it would be the last election of this country. I personally don't accept this," he said. "Today if anyone is saying that this is the last election, then I won't agree to it. Politicians may be wrong but I won't accept that it is the last election of the country."
Questioning the BJP-led NDA government's policy of "zero-tolerance" on terrorism, the NCP chief said,"The time when the plane was hijacked, it was BJP government in power, when the attack happened on our Parliament, it was BJP government, Pathankot attack happened during BJP government. All the terror attacks that happened in the country in the recent period have happened during BJP government only."
"From the last 2.5 years, Kulbhushan has been lodged in Pakistan jail but this 56-inches chest could not get him back. He (PM Modi) says 'Behno aur Bhaiyon sab thik kar dunga', then how are we facing (terror) attacks," he added.
Accusing the Prime Minister of being close to businessmen, he said, "75 per cent of the economy of this country is owned by 15 per cent people. These 15 per cent must be their close ones only. Many of you know their names."
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"Recently one has been caught in England and his name is also Modi. There is one big Modi and one small Modi. Nobody knows who is bigger Modi and who is smaller," he quipped.
Pawar also accused the BJP government of failing to fulfill its promises on Ram Temple and cleaning river Ganga.
"They have one person named Sakshi Maharaj who said before 2018, we will build Ram Mandir. Where is the temple?" he asked.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said after demonetisation to hang him (Prime Minister) after 100 days at any corner if he failed now. Which place should we choose?"
The Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra are scheduled to be held in four phases - on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
The results will be announced on May 23.