PM should inaugurate Pune Metro online, says Sule after his visit gets cancelled

MUMBAI: NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should inaugurate the new phase of Pune Metro online as he has inaugurated the "same" project five times in the past.

Modi's visit to Pune on Thursday was cancelled owing to heavy rains.

"It is very unfortunate that we have missed PM Modi's visit. It is Maharashtra's culture to welcome a guest. I want to bring it to the PMO's notice that it would be the sixth time the same Pune Metro project would have been inaugurated," said the MP from Baramati in Pune district.

"So I request the PM to inaugurate Pune Metro online...it is the same project he had inaugurated five times in the past...it will help the people of the Pune city and the inauguration must not wait for the next visit of the PM," Sule added.

Modi had visited Pune in the past to inaugurate different phases of the project. On Thursday he was to inaugurate the underground stretch from Civil Court to Swargate.

Commenting on Union minister Amit Shah's recent visit to Maharashtra to meet leaders of the state BJP and its allies, she said it was "strange and interesting that the only obsession they have is not to serve the city but to finish and stop Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray."

Sule noted the "coincidence" that Sharad Pawar had been served an Enforcement Directorate notice on the same day five years ago. "And five years later, they come with elections, and are consistently targeting Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. There is no talent in BJP, that is why they are importing leaders from other parties," she added.

When asked about recent visits of Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the United States, she said India and the US have always shared good relationship and its foundation was laid by former PM Manmohan singh when Barack Obama was US president.