House and spouse provide ammo for Nanded rallies
Jyoti Punwani
Uddhav Thackeray uses Adarsh scam to attack Ashok Chavan, while Digvijay Singh takes on Modi by asking how a man who ‘snooped on a young girl but denied his wife her rights’ can be made PM.
On a day marked by public meetings involving top state leaders of the two rival contestants from the Nanded Lok sabha seat, two themes took centre stage: Narendra Modi and the Adarsh Housing scam, in which Congress candidate Ashok Chavan was named, forcing him to resign as chief minister in 2010. While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray spoke at length on both themes, neither NCP chief Sharad Pawar nor Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan mentioned the Adarsh scam.
Modi figured prominently in the speeches of the Congress and NCP leaders, with Singh, as usual, going for the jugular. Pointing out that Modi had all along denied the existence of his wife Jasodaben, only to acknowledge her when he filed his nomination for the Lok Sabha, Singh asked how a man who "snooped on a young girl but denied his wife her rights'' could be entrusted with the post of prime minister.
'Snoopgate' figured in Prithviraj Chavan's speech too, as did the 2002 Gujarat violence. "This is a historic election,'' said Chavan. "You are not voting only for an MP, but deciding the direction this country will take. The mentality and background of this man, who is aspiring to be PM, and his misuse of his position as CM during the 2002 violence all present a grave danger to the country.''
Chavan used a large portion of his speech to explain how Maharashtra was ahead of Gujarat in growth and challenged Modi to a debate on the issue. He claimed that Modi has refused to take questions on any issue, but relied on the 'Goebbelsian' technique of repeating a lie over and over. The largely rural crowd remained unresponsive.
Meanwhile, both Pawar and Chavan showered praise on Ashok Chavan for turning Nanded into one of the most developed cities in the region. "Today, he's needed on the national stage. Send him there with a heavy majority and he will develop Marathwada and the state too," said Chavan.
Ashok Chavan, for whom the crowd cheered again and again, mentioned Modi all through his speech. Enumerating the social welfare bills passed by the Congress, he asked, "Did Modi do any of this?" Referring to Modi's attack on him (over the Adarsh scam) at his Nanded rally, the former CM said he didn't need a certificate from Modi. "My janta will give me a certificate. Is baar, phir UPA ki sarkar," he said.
An interesting part of Uddhav Thackeray's speech was his reference, a la Kejriwal, to himself as nothing: "What is Udhdav Thackeray? I am just shoonya (zero). Why have all of you come to listen to me? Because of the presence of Balasaheb in my name. His greatness was such that even looking up at him made one's neck ache." Asking Shiv Sena and BJP workers to work together to ensure victory for BJP candidate D B Patil, he termed the polls a nowor-never election.
Uddhav Thackeray uses Adarsh scam to attack Ashok Chavan, while Digvijay Singh takes on Modi by asking how a man who ‘snooped on a young girl but denied his wife her rights’ can be made PM.
On a day marked by public meetings involving top state leaders of the two rival contestants from the Nanded Lok sabha seat, two themes took centre stage: Narendra Modi and the Adarsh Housing scam, in which Congress candidate Ashok Chavan was named, forcing him to resign as chief minister in 2010. While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray spoke at length on both themes, neither NCP chief Sharad Pawar nor Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan mentioned the Adarsh scam.
Senior Congressman Digvijay Singh did speak about it, but only to give Chavan a clean chit. "Just as iron comes out unscathed by fire, so I am sure Ashok Chavan will come out unscathed,'' Singh said. Ashok Chavan was seen pacing the stage nervously while waiting for Pawar and the chief minister to arrive; and like any ordinary party worker, he exhorted the audience to clap for Digvijay Singh. Nanded goes to the polls on April 17.
Modi figured prominently in the speeches of the Congress and NCP leaders, with Singh, as usual, going for the jugular. Pointing out that Modi had all along denied the existence of his wife Jasodaben, only to acknowledge her when he filed his nomination for the Lok Sabha, Singh asked how a man who "snooped on a young girl but denied his wife her rights'' could be entrusted with the post of prime minister.
'Snoopgate' figured in Prithviraj Chavan's speech too, as did the 2002 Gujarat violence. "This is a historic election,'' said Chavan. "You are not voting only for an MP, but deciding the direction this country will take. The mentality and background of this man, who is aspiring to be PM, and his misuse of his position as CM during the 2002 violence all present a grave danger to the country.''
Chavan used a large portion of his speech to explain how Maharashtra was ahead of Gujarat in growth and challenged Modi to a debate on the issue. He claimed that Modi has refused to take questions on any issue, but relied on the 'Goebbelsian' technique of repeating a lie over and over. The largely rural crowd remained unresponsive.
Meanwhile, both Pawar and Chavan showered praise on Ashok Chavan for turning Nanded into one of the most developed cities in the region. "Today, he's needed on the national stage. Send him there with a heavy majority and he will develop Marathwada and the state too," said Chavan.
Ashok Chavan, for whom the crowd cheered again and again, mentioned Modi all through his speech. Enumerating the social welfare bills passed by the Congress, he asked, "Did Modi do any of this?" Referring to Modi's attack on him (over the Adarsh scam) at his Nanded rally, the former CM said he didn't need a certificate from Modi. "My janta will give me a certificate. Is baar, phir UPA ki sarkar," he said.
An interesting part of Uddhav Thackeray's speech was his reference, a la Kejriwal, to himself as nothing: "What is Udhdav Thackeray? I am just shoonya (zero). Why have all of you come to listen to me? Because of the presence of Balasaheb in my name. His greatness was such that even looking up at him made one's neck ache." Asking Shiv Sena and BJP workers to work together to ensure victory for BJP candidate D B Patil, he termed the polls a nowor-never election.
