Invoking the “Narendra-Devendra” formula which he said proved to be a “super-hit” during the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a strong pitch for Devendra Fadnavis’ return as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and said that the Modi-Fadnavis combination would give the state a new dimension to the state in terms of development in the coming years.
Addressing a huge election rally at Panvel in the neighbouring Raigad district, Modi said: “You have re-installed Narendra in Delhi. I appeal to the voters to re-install Devendra with the same strength. Delhi me Narendra, Mumbai me Devendra .. Narendra-Devendra formula has been a super-hit during the last five years. In coming years, this combination will give a new dimension to the state in terms of development”.
“You have to accept this fact as well: When Devendra and Narendra stand together, it will not be 1+1=2, but together they will become 11. The combined strength of eleven will take Maharashtra will newer heights in the country. At a time when we are aiming to become a 5 trillion economy, Maharashtra is such an engine will give us boost will realising our dream,” Modi said.
Modi also heaped praise on Maharashtra for its key rile in India becoming the third
start-up friendly nation in the world. “Maharashtra has played a key role in our becoming the third start-up friendly nation in the world. Youngsters from here have played a big role in this.
If India has received a record Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in world, it is largely because of Maharashtra. A large share of FDI has come to Maharashtra”.
“If India has seen large-scale infrastructure development during the last five years, Maharashtra has contributed in big way to the development. Maharashtra will stand gain maximum in the investment of Rs 100 lakh crore to be made during the next five years. Ek Narendra aur ek Devendra wo wo sutra hain Maharashtra ka vikas ka double engine gyara guna shakti dera hain (Narendra-Devendra formula is giving eleven-fold strength to the state’s double engine of development),” the Prime Minister said, exhorting the voters to keep the double engine in mind while voting on October 21.
Earlier in the day, addressing a rally at Akola in Vidarbha region, Modi charged that the Congress not “insulted” the architect of the Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar and "depriving" him of Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest honour till 1990. He also slammed the Congress for “insulting” Veer Savarkar.
"We have made ''Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka vishwas” as main mantra for new India’s development. We have made Veer Savarkar’s ideology of nationalism as the base for our nation-building. On the other hand, those people (the Congress) insulted late B R Ambedkar at every stage. They deprived of Bharat Ratna for decades. It is the same people who heap abuses on Veer Savarkar almost every day,” Modi said.
Ambedkar, who passed in 1956, was conferred with the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1990 by the then V.P. Singh's government.
Slamming the Congress for its opposition to the abrogation of Article 37o in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said: It is the same people (Congress) who are opposing our efforts to implement fully the Constitution drafted by late Ambedkar”.
At another public rally that he addressed at Parthur in Jalna district of Marthwada, Modi predicated humiliating defeat for the Opposition Congress and NCP which, he said, would at best win 10 seats in the State Assembly polls scheduled for October 21.
“The situation in Marathwada had not changed one bit till 2014, despite the fact that the region has given three chief ministers to Maharashtra. The chief ministers from this region had done precious little in terms of infrastructural development like road, power or providing basic amenities like water and hospitals. I challenge the Opposition to compare the work done by our one chief minister during the last five years, as against their chief ministers from this region in the past,” the Prime Minister said.
