Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday ridiculed former chief minister Narayan Rane by stating that the BJP, after showing Rane a carrot, made him quit his party and were now ignoring him.
Taking a dig at the ruling BJP, he said the party's symbol should be a carrot and not the lotus.
Pawar, while addressing a rally in Nanded, said, "BJP showed Rane a carrot and made him quit and now they are ignoring him. BJP's election symbol should be the carrot and not the lotus."
Rane, who quit the Congress to start his own outfit, had aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance but is yet to get a cabinet post in the state government due to stiff opposition from a section of BJP leaders.
In another development, state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said 2019 would be the year of the Congress and would see the "ghar wapsi" of the BJP.
"The year 2019 is of the Congress, and it will be a "ghar wapsi" for the BJP. The BJP is losing its base across the state and country," Chavan said at a rally in Palghar, adding that the BJP was performing badly on all fronts.
"They have failed to address farmers' issues but are forcing people to go in a bullet train. The use of force in land acquisition for various infrastructure projects is uncalled for. Despite a loan waiver being announced by the state, 1,753 farmers have committed suicide. This is utter failure of the BJP and its policies," he claimed.
