Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at the Congress alleging that division among Dalits, Adivasis, and Backward Classes suits the politics of the grand old party. Accusing the Congress of divisive politics, PM Modi claimed that the party hates OBCs as it cannot come to terms with the fact that a person from backward classes has been the Prime Minister of the country for the last ten years.

While speaking at a campaign rally in Nanded, the Prime Minister said that division among Dalits, Adivasis, and Backward Classes suits Congress’ politics, but due to their unity, it is losing its support base. “It suits the Congress’ politics if Dalits, Adivasis, and Backward Classes are divided. Its game plan is to divide you into different groups and communities,” he said.

“Congress hates the OBCs because it cannot digest the fact that an OBC is the prime minister for ten years and working by taking everyone along,” the Prime Minister said. Claiming that the Congress wants to take away the power of unity between the OBC communities, PM Modi alleged that the grand old party wants to snatch reservation. “They want to divide the OBC communities into small castes and snatch the power of their unity. If it happens, Congress will snatch the reservation,” he alleged.

Efforts to divide people on caste lines and deprive them of reservation were made by leaders from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, he claimed. Echoing the goal of `Viksit Bharat,’ the Prime Minister exuded confidence that there is a wave in favour of the `Mahayuti’ alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.

“Hence, the BJP and its allies are chosen by the people again and again. In the Lok Sabha elections, Nanded did not vote for us. I hope you will bless me now,” he said, referring to the defeat of the saffron party’s Pratap Chikhlikar by Congress’ Vasant Chavan.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held in a single phase on November 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.