Aurangabad: There is a lot of resentment against the BJP government in Maharashtra, and only a Pulwama-like incident can change this sentiment ahead of the election, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday. Pawar was addressing media in Aurangabad after attending a workers’ meet.
“There was anger against the Modi government before 2019 LS poll. But Pulwama attack changed the entire situation,” Pawar said.
Pawar said he was seeing anger about the state govt before the next month’s assembly poll. “Only another Pulwama attack-like situation can change people’s mind,” the ex-defence minister said.
“We are trying to bring secular forces together (for poll). Congress and NCP have come together. We are trying to take Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties with us,” Pawar said.
He added the NCP was willing to join hands with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, but the Congress was not ready for that. About exodus of leaders from NCP, Pawar said the leaders said they were joining the ruling BJP or Shiv Sena to ensure development of their constituencies.
“But during my career of 52 years, I was not in power for a long time. Yet it did not hamper the development of Baramati (his former seat),” he said.
“During Modi govt’s tenure people learnt about (existence of) probe agencies like ED and CBI. I have worked with many PMs, but such misuse (of agencies) was not seen earlier,” Pawar added.
On the economic slowdown, Pawar said there should be a policy decision to attract investment, but no such step is being taken.
Only industrialists’ loan waived
Meanwhile in Jalna, Pawar slammed the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state for not giving a full loan waiver to farmers. “The government did not grant full loan waiver to farmers, but waived loans of industrialists who cheated banks,” the former Union agriculture minister said.
The Centre gave “Rs86,000 crore” to the industrialists who cheated banks, but did not offer any relief to farmers who were committing suicide, Pawar alleged.