Modi praises Fadnavis, urges people to vote for BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had provided a stable government to Maharashtra despite the BJP not having a full majority and urged the people of the state to elect a new government under his leadership in the forthcoming assembly polls.

Addressing a rally here at the culmination of `Maha Janadesh Yatra' of Fadnavis, Modi referred to the results of Lok Sabha elections and said that it was for the first time in 60 years that a government had been re-elected with a larger mandate.

"After you gave us more power, the government is also working with greater force. You would have seen it in (the first) 100 days. This happened due to your support. The government at the Centre has completed 100 days and its century is before you. The century has speed and a clear vision of the future. There are promise, performance, and delivery in the first century," he added.

Modi said the first 100 days reflect a new attitude towards the country, the society, and the world. "There is a desire to meet the difficult challenges, there is an enthusiasm for development and a message of India's power at the global stage," he said.

The Prime Minister said there was a need "to give a boost to a government which always thinks of the progress of the state."

"Despite not having a full majority, Fadnavis has run a stable government dedicated to Maharashtra. Now it is the responsibility of Maharashtra to again form the government under his leadership and take advantage of stable politics," said Modi.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena had contested the last polls separately but later joined hands to form the government. The two parties will contest the coming assembly polls as allies.

Modi said he hailed from Gujarat, which was a younger brother of Maharashtra and had served the state as its longest-serving chief minister.

"Devotion to people has its own benefit," he said, adding that Fadnavis was also reaping its benefit of his dedication to people.

The Prime Minister said Fadnavis had given an account of his government's performance by going to the people and his government had provided stability, ushered development, improved law, and order, created social cohesiveness, boosted modern infrastructure and deepened state's cultural traditions.

He said the state government has also improved the investment climate, taken measures for the welfare of farmers, provided loans to women and started schemes for progress for tribals.

"The story is of development of Maharashtra and has signals of the future grandeur of state," said the Prime Minister.

( With inputs from ANI )