Mumbai:

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address an election rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on May 17, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Wednesday.

Mr Bawankule was speaking to reporters after meeting MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has announced his party’s support to BJP-led NDA’s candidates in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

“PM Modi will address a poll rally at Shivaji Park on Friday (May 17). I invited Raj Thackeray for the rally and he has agreed to attend it,” said the BJP leader.

“Thackeray’s support (to NDA candidates) and his appeal to voters will reflect in the (poll) outcome. We have asked Raj to join us for the poll campaign in the next few days,” he said.

On Wednesday, the PM addressed two elections in Maharashtra — in Nashik and Thane districts — in support of NDA nominees and also held a roadshow in Mumbai.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Friday said that “despite being with” NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar all these years, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar never indulged in caste politics.

Mr Thackeray, whose party is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections but supporting the ruling coalition of the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, was speaking at a campaign rally here.

“I may have had many differences with Ajit Pawar, but I can say one thing: he never indulged in caste politics. Despite being with Sharad Pawar, I have not seen him indulging in caste politics ever,” said Mr Thackeray, praising Ajit and at the same time taking potshots at Pawar senior.

The “venom” of caste politics started spreading in Maharashtra since 1999, the MNS chief said, in apparent reference to Sharad Pawar forming the Nationalist Congress Party in that year after leaving Congress.

Raj Thackeray had accused the senior Pawar of playing the caste card and dividing society in the past too.

The MNS chief highlighted the issues faced by the cities in terms of basic amenities, and said if there was no proper management, they would collapse.

“In order to divert attention from these issues, some leaders are involving you in caste (politics). I had on numerous occasions urged you to free yourself of caste politics. Think about yourself and your life,” he said to the gathering.

He also claimed that ‘fatwas’ were being issued from mosques to vote for Congress. “Today, I issue a `fatwa’ to vote for the candidates of BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Shiv Sena,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)