Narendra Modi wants to convert Mumbai into Ahmedabad: NCP leader Bhujbal

Yavatmal (Maha), Oct 6: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal today said Modi is gradually turning out to be the "PM of Gujarat" and wants to convert Mumbai into Ahmedabad.

"Modi is gradually emerging as the Prime Minister of Gujarat and wants to convert Mumbai into Ahmedabad. On what grounds is Modi claiming that Gujarat is ahead of Maharashtra?" Bhujbal said here during an election rally of NCP candidate Sandeep Bajoria.

At a public rally in Gondia yesterday, Modi had said like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where voters had given the BJP a full majority, Maharashtra could be the number one state in the country.

Responding to it, the NCP leader asked, "What does Modi want to convey by assuring development of Maharashtra in general and Mumbai in particular? Maharashtra is already number one state and hence there is no question of developing Mumbai on the lines of Ahmedabad."

He accused Modi of creating a media hype and using every opportunity for his personal gains. Targetting Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel for inviting investors to invest in Gujarat during a programme in Mumbai, Bhujbal said, "How can it be justified that she invited industrialists from Mumbai to set up their businesses in Gujarat?"

On the Centre's proposed bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the former Maharashtra minister asked, "What is the use of starting a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad? Instead, they can go for the Mumbai-New Delhi, New Delhi-Kolkata or New Delhi-Chennai routes."

Reacting to Modi's recent remarks that NCP chief Sharad Pawar chose the Rajya Sabha route and did not contest Lok Sabha polls as he was aware that the "ship (UPA government) was sinking", Bhujbal challenged Modi to contest an election from Baramati constituency, the hometown of the former Union Agriculture Minister.

PTI