Lok Sabha elections 2024: Sharad Pawar questions if Modi has mandate for third term as PM

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the oath of office for a historic third successive term NCP SP president Sharad Pawar sought to know whether he had the mandate to lead the country reported news agency PTIThe saffron party fell short of majority in the justconcluded Lok Sabha elections 2024 and had to take support of its allies to form the new coalition government at the Centre Pawar noted on MondayThe senior politician was speaking at a party congregation in Ahmednagar around 125 km from Pune on the occasion of the NCPs 25th foundation day where newlyelected party MPs were felicitatedNarendra Modi took the oath as Prime Minister on June 9 But before taking the oath did he have the mandate of the country Did the people of the country give him consent They BJP did not have a majority They had to take the help of the Telugu Desam Party and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumarbecause of them he could form the government Pawar said reported PTIThe former Union minister also remarked that the new BJPled NDA government was different from the earlier onesDuring the election period Modi wherever he went for campaigning did not refer to the government as Government of Indiait used to be called Modi Sarkar Modis guarantee Today that Modi guarantee is no longer there Today it is no longer a Modi Sarkar Today because of your vote they have to say this is not a Modi Sarkar it is the Government of India Today because of you they have to take a different approach Pawar told the gathering referring to the Lok Sabha elections 2024 results reported PTIThe post of PM is of the country and not of a particular party he said adding the incumbent must think of all segments of society castes and creedsBut Modi forgot to do this I think he did it deliberately Minorities like Muslims Sikhs Christians Sikhs Parsis are an important part of the country They must have faith in the government but Modi failed to do this In a campaign speech he spoke about a class of people having more children It is clear he meant the Muslims Pawar said reported PTIHe PM said if power goes into the hands of these people they will snatch away mangalsutras of women etc Have such things ever happened in the country He also said the opposition will take away one buffalo if anyone has two in case they come to power Should a prime minister talk like this Modi did not observe restraint when it came to criticising others Pawar said reported PTIThe NCPSP chief also spoke about Modi calling him a bhatakti aatma wandering restless soul and said it is good since the soul is eternal and this soul will not spare youModi called the Shiv Sena UBT nakli fake Shiv Sena Pawar said and asked if a person occupying the post of PM should call anyone or any group nakli reported PTIHis actions show that when the possibility of regaining power diminishes one becomes restless Pawar added reported PTISpeaking about the NCPSP he said it would create a new and accomplished team to garner the peoples supportNot only in Maharashtra but we will also have to work in Haryana and Jharkhand where elections are scheduled to take place in the next three months and form governments Pawar said reported PTIHe asked party functionaries to strengthen the organisation and protect the interests of marginalised sections of societyPeople thought the Ram Temple construction would be relevant in politics but the BJP candidate was defeated in Ayodhya itself Pawar notedTomorrow if I visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya I will not use it for my politics People of Ayodhya took note of the wrong done by Modi and ensured the defeat of the BJP candidate he said reported PTIPraising newlyelected Ahmednagar MP Nilesh Lanke who defeated BJPs sitting MP Sujay Vikhe Patil Pawar said the former was criticised for not being able to speak EnglishBut one can speak in Hindi or his mother tongue he addedAll eight NCPSP MPs will get his guidance at all times Pawar assured adding they would be the NCPs ashtapradhan mandal council of eight ministers in Parliament the way Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had his ashtapradhan mandalWith inputs from PTI