Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Raking up divisive issues as it's tough for BJP to cross 200 seats, says Ramesh Chennithala

Mumbai: All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday claimed that it was difficult for the BJP to bag more than 200 Lok Sabha seats and that is why it is raking up Hindu-Muslim and Pakistan issues after the two phases of voting.

He was speaking at a press conference organised on the occasion of the inauguration of the central election office for the Lok Sabha Constituency candidate Bhushan Patil.

"People in the BJP say the Modi card will work in Maharashtra. But they are completely wrong. It is difficult for BJP to bag 200-plus seats. That is why (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and his colleagues are trying to do politics of division in the country by raking up issues like Hindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan," he said.

But the intelligent people of Maharashtra will not rest till they show to the BJP and its allies their real place, he said. Chennithala said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a senior leader like Sharad Pawar a wandering soul.

"Does such a statement befit a person holding the post of prime minister of the country?" he asked. He also said that PM Modi calls the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray as the fake Shiv Sena.

"But Modiji should not forget that these Shiv Sainiks are dedicated. These Shiv Sainiks and the Shiv Sena here will not keep quiet until you are sent home. As they (BJP) have no other issues, they are playing politics of division," Chennithala said.

"PM Modi and his leaders are doing the work of creating differences between religions through their speeches. But no matter what they speak about respectable leaders like Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena, the people of Maharashtra are with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The alliance will win all the seats in Maharashtra. I am fully confident that we will win all six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai as well," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad who is the party candidate in Mumbai North-Central and other leaders were present on the occasion.

Raut expressed confidence that people of Mumbai North will elect Bhushan Patil. Patil is pitted against senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal.