Countdown of Modi govt has begun, says Nana Patole

As it reviewed the Congress strength seat by seat, the grand old party’s Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole said that the countdown of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government has begun.

“Public money has been looted for the last nine years and people's money is being stuffed in the pockets of industrialist friends. People are tired of this loot and they will not think twice before pulling the BJP down from power in the Lok Sabha elections,” said Patole, the former Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

According to him, winds of change are blowing in the country and people see Congress as the only option.

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“The picture of this public sentiment was also seen in the two-day review meeting of the Congress,” he said after the review meeting at the Tilak Bhavan on Saturday evening.

In the review meeting, the top leadership including Congress Legislative Party leader Balasaheb Thorat and former Chief Ministers - Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Sushilkumar Shinde among others were present.

There is a lot of enthusiasm among the Congress workers and the Congress Party is ready no matter when the elections are held, he said.

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"In these two days, 41 constituencies of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state were reviewed. A review of the Chandrapur and six constituencies of Mumbai will be conducted separately. The discussion has been positive and the activists want the Congress party to fight from the maximum number of constituencies,” he said.

“Congress party has organizational strength in all constituencies. Congress has a large following and people's faith in Congress has become stronger,” Patole said.

The MPCC President also said that they would now be holding formal meetings with its Maha Vikas Aghadi partners - Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

"All the parties in the alliance will discuss and decide on seat allocation. Our determination is to defeat BJP,” he said.