Uddhav Thackeray shut Bala Saheb Thackeray's shop: JP Nadda

KALAHANDI (Odisha): Taking a jibe at Uddhav Thackeray for attending the Opposition meeting being held in Patna, Bharatiya national president JP Nadda said that Uddhav Thackeray himself shut the shop for Bala Saheb Thackeray. Nadda was addressing a public rally in Odisha's Kalahandi on Friday when he slammed Shivsena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) as Uddhav Thackeray reached Patna today to attend the Opposition meeting.

"I just heard that Uddhav Thackeray has landed in Patna. This Shivsena, they used to talk about Hindus. Their father Hindu Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray used to say that I will not let Shivsena become Congress," Nadda said.

"If I ever need to join hands with Congress, then I will close my shop. Today Bala Saheb must be thinking that no one else but his own son shut his shop," he added. He further slammed the opposition and said, "Today I am very surprised... These oppositionist leaders are hugging each other in Bihar, but they forgot that Lalu Prasad Yadav was jailed for 22 months by Rahul Gandhi's grandmother. Nitish Kumar was behind bars for 20 months. Today, in Patna, when I see the pictures of Rahul Gandhi welcoming them, I wonder what has happened in politics."

Further, JP Nadda also lashed out at the Congress and said, "I want to tell the Congressmen to come to me and discuss the figures. Today America is saying that India is providing employment to 10 lakh people. These illiterate Congressmen do not know that when the economy grows, employment also increases and means of employment are also increased."

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Smriti Irani also took a swipe at the Opposition meeting in Patna, saying that Congress has admitted that they cannot defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone and that they need support from others to do so. The senior BJP leader referred to the Opposition leaders' meeting being held in Bihar's Patna today.

"I especially thank Congress for publicly announcing that they cannot alone defeat PM Modi and that they need the support of others to do so," Smriti Irani said while addressing a press conference. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will form the government in 2024 by securing over 300 seats and becoming the Prime Minister again. Addressing a public meeting in Jammu, Shah said, "No matter how many parties come for the meeting, they can never unite".

"Today a photo session is underway in Patna. They (the opposition) want to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA. I want to tell them that PM Modi will form his government in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls with more than 300 seats," Shah, who arrived in Jammu on a two-day visit today said.

A meeting of Opposition leaders hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar began in Patna today with the aim to forge a united Opposition front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. More than 15 opposition parties attended the meeting held at Nitish Kumar's official residence in Patna.