He (Adityanath) is known for these communal expressions. Why give him importance? I don’t want to utter even one sentence about him. These are the people who wear saffron clothes and perpetrate communalism – Sharad Pawar, NCP (SP) president

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NCP( SP) supremo Sharad Pawar accused Narendra Modi of “dividing” the society as he slammed the prime minister’s campaign speeches and stressed that he will have no association with those allied with the BJP, when asked about the possibility of a post-poll reunion with his estranged nephew Ajit Pawar.

In an interview with PTI, Pawar, considered the architect of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra, said the ruling Mahayuti has been using a “tremendous amount of monitory strength”, including through cash transfer schemes, to influence the polls following its poor show in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. But people will reject them, he said.

The four-term former Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Union minister was blistering in his criticism of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose “”Batenge toh katenge (Division is destruction) slogan has drawn criticism from even some BJP leaders and allies like Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president said, “He (Adityanath) is known for these communal expressions. Why give him importance? I don’t want to utter even one sentence about him. These are the people who wear saffron clothes and perpetrate communalism. They are doing a disservice to the nation.”

Asked about Modi’s extensive campaign in which he accused the opposition of dividing the society on caste lines and sought people’s unity in favour of the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party alliance, Sharad Pawar hit back.

“He is the prime minister. He is saying certain things. What he says about our associates (allies) is very unfair. He himself is dividing the society. You can see his speeches over the past few days and the issues that he is raising for his political interests,” he said. Pawar said he has witnessed a great amount of “unrest” among people during his extensive campaign. The prime minister has accused the Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) alliance of seeking to divide society and pursuing appeasement politics, and has called for unity with his call for “ek hain to safe hain”.

The Congress and former BJP ally the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) have been particularly at the receiving end of his withering criticism. Spearheading the MVA campaign and also making determined efforts to reclaim his party’s standing in its strongholds, especially in western Maharashtra following the split in 2023, the 83-year-old Pawar expressed confidence in getting popular support in the election.

“People are very unhappy (with state government), particularly the farmers and the younger generation. Whenever they get an opportunity to cast their votes, they will favour people like us and our associates,” he said while declining to make any assessment about the number of seats the MVA may win in the 288-member assembly.