Mumbai, Feb 4 (NIE): Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday urged voters to return Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP to power in the Lok Sabha elections to safeguard national interest.

Addressing a gathering at the KG Somaiyya grounds in Mumbai, Fadnavis emphasised on the development plank and underlined the role of Maharashtra in the making of ‘New India’. “Let us not overlook the larger goal behind this elections. It’s not about getting an individual (Modi) elected. Nor is it to get a political party (BJP) to power. The larger purpose of getting Modi and the BJP elected is to safeguard national interest, which cannot be compromised at any cost,” he said.

Taking a swipe at the Opposition’s “Mahagathbandhan”, he said, “They have joined hands to serve their own interests…”

Attacking the Opposition, he said, “They cannot decide on a single leader and they talk about parivartan (change). Each one of their leaders is confined to their regional turf. While Sharad Pawar cannot strike a chord in Tamil Nadu, Stalin has no appeal when it comes to Manipur nor Mamata Banerjee connects to Maharashtra. In contrast, Modi holds a pan-Indian appeal.”

Seeking support for BJP’s “Ek Baar Phir, Modi Sarkar”, Fadnavis said, “In ‘Mahagathbandhan’, people will have a new PM everyday. Mayawati on Monday, Mamata on Tuesday, Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, Akhilesh on Thursday, Stalin on Friday, Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday. Sunday being a holiday, it would be Pawar.”

He said Modi’s leadership was crucial for making India a superpower by 2035. “Can you imagine what will be the fate of the nation if the country is handed over to the leaderless Opposition hankering for power…,” he added.

“Whereas if we look at the four and half years of governance under Modi’s leadership, there is not a single superpower nor a neighbour who dared to cross swords with India. The world has reckoned the leadership of Modi,” he said.