Maharashtra Assembly election: Nadda, Gadkari highlight BJP’s development-driven agenda at poll rallies

While the BJP president focused on Mahayuti’s politics of delivering promises, the Union Minister criticised the Congress for prioritising loss-making ventures over rural development during its tenure

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari sharpened their attacks on the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Monday (November 18, 2024) while focusing on their narrative of development.

Addressing a rally in Navi Mumbai, Mr. Nadda praised the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, claiming it has introduced a new, accountable political culture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Our politics is about delivering promises—and going beyond them,” he said.

He targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of misleading the public on constitutional issues and granting unconstitutional reservations. “Rahul Gandhi roams with the Constitution book but hasn’t read it. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar explicitly opposed religion-based reservations, yet Congress allotted 4% to minorities in Karnataka,” he alleged.

Mr. Nadda praised India’s economic progress under Mr. Modi, highlighting the leap from the 12th to the 5th largest global economy. Comparing alliances, he called the BJP-led Mahayuti a “rising sun” committed to Maharashtra’s progress, while describing the MVA as a coalition that “thrives on opportunism and will only push the state into darkness.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Gadkari, addressing a rally in Gondia district, criticised the Congress for prioritising loss-making ventures over rural development during its tenure. He accused the Congress of neglecting villages while launching now-failing ventures like airlines and steel factories.

Lauding former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s rural road development under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the Nagpur MP said, “Had the Congress invested in roads, irrigation, and schools instead of failed projects, India’s villages would have transformed.”

He also attacked Congress for “fake propaganda” during the 2024 elections and accused it of constitutional manipulation during Indira Gandhi’s tenure.

Both leaders stressed their party’s development-driven agenda. Mr. Nadda linked Maharashtra’s progress with India’s aspirations to become the third-largest economy, while Mr. Gadkari underscored the role of robust infrastructure in achieving a $5 trillion economy.

Published - November 19, 2024 05:19 am IST