NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he will not a utter a word against estranged BJP ally Shiv Sena during the campaign for the October 15 Maharashtra polls as a mark of respect to Bal Thackeray.
"Some newspapers have reported that the Prime Minister has criticized the Shiv Sena," Modi said.
"This is the first election in the absence of Balasaheb Thackeray. I have decided I will not say anything against the Shiv Sena. This is due to my respect for the great leader," he said.
"There are some things which are above politics...There are feelings. Not everything should be linked to politics," the 64-year-old BJP leader said addressing a poll rally at Tasgaon in Sangli district of western Maharashtra, from where former state home minister RR Patil is NCP nominee.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP ended their 25-year-old alliance in Maharashtra ahead of the October 15 elections over seat-sharing and the chief ministerial candidate.
On the second day of his poll campaign in Maharashtra, Modi launched a blistering attack on NCP chief Sharad Pawar, saying he lacks the qualities of Maratha leader Shivaji and "failed" to address the water woes of the people of the state as chief minister and agriculture minister.
BJP has fielded former Congress MLA Ajit Ghorpade against Patil for this key poll battle in Maharashtra.
Modi, who began his speech in Marathi, launched a scathing on Pawar for his comments about Shivaji "plundering" the treasury of Surat. "Pawar's statement has hurt me deeply. You don't have knowledge of history. Gujarat was part of Maharashtra prior to its formation in 1960. We have considered Maharashtra as big brother," he said.
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