Maharashtra Election: Rift Between Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis Widens Over 'Batenge To Katenge' Slogan

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's statement rejecting the "batenge toh katenge (division is destruction)" slogan in Maharashtra has sparked a strong reaction from his colleague Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis, angered by Pawar's comments, suggested that his understanding of the slogan was still shaped by his previous allies.

The "batenge toh katenge" slogan, introduced by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP's star campaigner Yogi Adityanath at a recent rally in Maharashtra, has been accused of carrying communal connotations by the opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi later modified it to "ek hai toh safe hai" earlier this month, promoting unity.

The slogan has caused unease among some BJP leaders and allies within the Maharashtra government.

Ajit Pawar, nephew of Sharad Pawar, whose undivided party had significant support among Muslims, was firm in his stance. "I am not supporting it. I have said this several times. It will not work in Maharashtra. This may work in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, or some other places," he said in a recent interview.

Pawar's comment prompted a strong response from BJP leaders, particularly Fadnavis, who criticised his former ally. "Ajit Pawar stayed with such ideologies - which are secular and anti-Hindu - for decades. There is no real secularism among those who call themselves secularists. He stayed with people for whom opposing Hindutva is secularism. It will take some time for him to understand the mood of the public," Fadnavis remarked.

Fadnavis suggested that Pawar and his allies had failed to grasp the sentiment behind the slogan. "These people either did not understand the sentiment of the public or did not understand the meaning of this statement or while speaking they probably wanted to say something else," he added.

Two prominent BJP leaders, Pankaja Munde and Ashok Chavan, also expressed their concerns over the slogan.

Munde, daughter of the late BJP stalwart Gopinath Munde, stated that her political views differed, and she would not support the slogan simply because she was from the same party. "A leader's job is to make every living person on this land our own. Therefore, we need not bring any such topic to Maharashtra," she said.

Ashok Chavan, who joined the BJP after resigning from Congress in February, stated that the slogan was irrelevant and in poor taste. "I don't think people will appreciate it. Personally speaking, I am not in favour of such a slogan," he remarked.

The opposition has seized on the conflicting statements, urging the BJP to decide between Yogi Adityanath's "divisive" slogans and Modi's call for unity. Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, however, dismissed the opposition's narrative, asserting that both slogans conveyed the same message. "Yogi-ji has said that if we are divided, we will be divided. Modi ji is saying that if we are united, we are safe. We are just warning people against vote jihad," he said.

Maharashtra will vote on November 20 to elect representatives for its 288 seats, with votes being counted on November 23.