Calling the Congress-National Congress Party split in Maharashtra a "farce", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said they were one and the separation was meant to divert the attention of voters ahead of the assembly poll.
"The Congress and the NCP parted ways just ahead of the poll. But everybody knows that these parties are actually one, they belong to the same clan, their nature and character is same. The split is a farce meant to divert your attention," he said at a poll rally in Ahmednagar district on Thursday.
Accusing the erstwhile Congress-NCP dispensation in Maharashtra of being steeped in corruption, Modi said had it utilised the 15 years it was in power for the uplift of the people, the state would have been far ahead in terms of growth and law and order.
"15 years is not a small time. If their government had utilised its time for the uplift of people, to stop suicide by farmers, in maintaining law and order, in punishing terrorists in the harshest possible way and in providing employment to the youth, Maharashtra would have been far ahead than what it is today," Modi said.
He said the government was only in the "business of stealing the hard earned money of traders through Local Bodies Tax" which he called looto baato tax (rob and share tax)."
"Today there is nothing left due to corruption by these politicians. There was corruption in providing homes to the widows of Kargil martyrs and in the mid-day meal scheme for children. They have looted everything they could get their hands on," Modi said, adding that the priority of his government was to provide employment to the youth.
"Our priority is to generate employment for the youth of this country. The Congress-NCP alliance has made this state 'scam Maharashtra'. We want to change and make it into 'skill Maharashtra',” said Modi.
"Maharashtra has suffered a lot. Give the Bharatiya Janata Party an absolute majority so the government in the state can work in tandem with the Centre and together we will make Maharashtra 11 times stronger and vigorous," he said.
Modi said his government was working for the uplift of farmers and to check incidents of suicide by them.
"When I was in the United States of America, I met the CEO of Pepsi. I told her if they could add just five per cent of fresh fruit juice to their soft drinks, it will change the lives of our farmers drastically. Then our farmers will not have to go out to sell their produce. Multinational companies will come to their doorsteps to buy their produce at remunerative prices. This is the first step towards improving the agricultural environment in our country," Modi said.
He said the reason why the US had to sit up and take note of his visit was not him but because 1.25 billion people had given BJP an absolute majority.
"Did it happen because of Modi? No... This is because you gave us a majority at the Centre. Today, when Modi stands to talk to someone, that person gives respect because he knows that 1.25 billion Indians are standing behind him," Modi said.
