Taking exception to the communal remarks made by close Narendra Modi aide, Amit Shah, the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday accused Mr. Modi of being two-faced.
“On one side he (Mr. Modi) talks about development, but at the same time, his right hand Amit Shah speaks the language of revenge. Which is his real face?” asked Mr. Chavan.
He was referring to the Election Commission’s notice to Mr. Shah over his controversial “vote for revenge” remarks at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh.
“The industrial world initially supported him, but even they are now scared of supporting Mr. Modi because of his authoritarian way of functioning,” he said.
Claiming that the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra will win more seats than 2009, Mr. Chavan said he would campaign for his predecessor Ashok Chavan, accused in the Adarsh scam and the party’s candidate from Nanded.
Advocating the cause of new states, Mr. Chavan said that he supported such demands if they are realistic. “I will support a separate Vidarbha only if it is economically feasible and a majority of people want it,” he said.
Mr. Chavan accused the BJP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of having formed a “behind-the- back” alliance.
“The BJP wants to get rid of its oldest ally the Shiv Sena and hence is working to defeat the Sena candidates,” he said, adding that the Sena leadership must decide its ways to answer the BJP for engaging in such tactics.
The MNS is contesting 10 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, of which it is pitted against the Shiv Sena in eight and two the BJP.
