NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was applauded by his supporters for being a ‘strong’ leader is being targeted by non-BJP political parties in Maharashtra as “weak” and “indecisive” for not being able to handle the continuing hostilities on the India-Pakistan border.

Even as civilians living in villages on either side of the Line of Control flee for their lives, the Shiv Sena has in a campaign blitz against PM Modi reminded him that instead of campaigning in state elections he should “focus” on stopping the “atrocities” by Pakistan. The BJP’s erstwhile ally hurled a hurtful jibe at the PM saying that a leader does not need a 56 inch chest to protect the interests of the country, but strong will power.

The campaign has gathered momentum, even as five more civilians died in the firing between Indian and Pakistani troops. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a rather late campaign, however, joined the other parties in singling out the PM for attack on the same issues. “Our PM was sitting on a swing with the Chinese president while Chinese soldiers made incursions into India. Over the past few days, Pakistan has been firing from across the border, leaving our soldiers dead,” he said. Referring to Modi’s recent cleanliness drive Rahul Gandhi added, “Their marketing strategy is good. They sweep with a broom and the entire nation gets to see it. When the Chinese soldiers came in, no one heard about it.”

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has also been hitting hard. Both cousins Uddhav and Raj are reported to have mended fences at least for the purpose of the campaign against the Prime Minister. At a public rally Raj Thackeray said, "Pakistani troops are firing on border posts and our jawans are being killed, but our Prime Minister is busy campaigning for the assembly elections. Today, on the occasion of Eid, we sent sweets to Pakistan and in return they are sending us bombs. What was happening during the UPA regime, is happening even today. Are these acche din?"

He joined cousin Uddhav in stating that Modi would be the first PM campaigning for all levels of elections. "By stating that he would have had not come if Gopinath Munde was alive, Modi has shown what he thinks is the value of BJP leaders in Maharashtra. Tomorrow, Modi may also come to campaign for the municipal corporation and council elections," he said.

As a result the government at the centre seemed compelled to up the ante against Pakistan with Defence Minister Arun Jaitley issuing a “stop firing, or else..” kind of warning and a demarche being issued to Pakistan via the High Commission on the same issue. This however, was not sufficient to silence the regional parties in Maharashtra particularly the two Sena cousins who have earlier with the BJP been strong advocates of war against Pakistan in a ‘teach them a lesson’ mode. Perhaps Raj Thackeray rendered the worst blow by accusing the PM and his government of following the Congress line.

The Shiv Sena, MNS, and NCP have sharpened the campaign against the PM in the run up to the polls on October 15. PM Modi and the BJP are under sharp scrutiny with every single stray remark being countered, even as Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna carries on a no holds barred campaign against him. Under attack for supporting a separate Vidarbha PM Modi had withdrawn the BJP demand somewhat during his campaign in the state by maintaining that the state would remain united. However BJP state chief Devendra Fadnavis said that separate statehood for Vidarbha was very much on the party’s agenda.

NCP, Shiv Sena and MNS have all attacked the BJP for this flip flop policy. Uddhav Thackeray said during his campaign, “"Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a promise of unified Maharashtra, and in no time their leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari start saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party is keen to have a separate state of Vidarbha. This clearly shows their double talk and it clearly exposes their sinister plans to divide Maharashtra."

Raj Thackeray said, "If they could separate Vidarbha region from Maharashtra then who would stop them from carving out Mumbai from the state?"

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Seema Mustafa

    Seema Mustafa is the Editor-in-Chief of The Citizen