Mumbai, Aug 29 (FN Agency) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole said on Monday that just as Mahatma Gandhi gave the slogan of ‘Chale Jao’ to the British colonial rulers from Mumbai, the Opposition leaders will also give the same slogan to the (Narendra) Modi government at the Centre during INDIA alliance’s meeting scheduled to be held here this week. Addressing a press conference at the party’s head office, he said that,to protest against the tyrannical government of the BJP, various political parties from across the country have forged alliance in the name of I.N.D.I.A. and the third meeting of this alliance is due to be held in Mumbai on 31 August and 1 September. At this time, the logo of I.N.D.I.A. bloc will be unveiled on 31 August, he informed. Describing INDIA bloc’s meeting in Mumbai as very important, the MPCC chief hinted that some member parties in the ruling NDA may switch over to the I.N.D.I.A side.
Explaining significance of this meeting, he said that in this meeting, six Chief Ministers including Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, presidents of various parties, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Ms Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi will be present. Speaking further, he claimed that people are fed up with Narendra Modi, consequently, his popularity is rapidly declining, he alleged. Claiming that BJP itself has no candidate for this (Prime Minister’s) post, the Congress leader pointed that I.N.D.I.A alliance has many capable candidates for the post and said that the alliance leaders will decide on the prime ministerial candidate. “But, as a Congress party worker, I feel that Rahul Gandhi should become the Prime Minister,” he stressed. Replying to a question, Patole said that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has made it clear that some colleagues from NCP along with Ajit Pawar, joined hands with BJP and came to power because of the fear of Enforcement Directorate and not for the development of the state as claimed by defectors, he clarified.
“These same people were in power for the past many years, let them tell us what they have developed during that period,” he countered. Citing an example, he said that the work of Mumbai-Goa highway has been going on for almost last 17 years, but this road has not been completed as yet. There is large-scale corruption in construction of this road, he charged and alleged that the work of this road has been held up due to the dispute over commission, forcing many contractors to abandon the project midway. BJP leaders are partners of contractors in this road project, he added.