VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan underscored the need for electing an NDA government in Maharashtra to safeguard Sanatan Dharma from divisive forces. He highlighted Maharashtra’s rich heritage, where many stalwarts have strived to protect the sanctity of Sanatana Dharma.
The actor-turned-politician urged the people of Maharashtra to draw inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and protect Sanatana Dharma, which, he stated, could only be achieved under the leadership of the NDA. “Over the last 10 years, the NDA has made India shine on the global stage. It is time to fight for the protection of Sanatana Dharma, the Marathi language, and the State’s culture,” he said.
Addressing a public meeting in Degloor Assembly constituency on Saturday as part of his campaign for the NDA in the Assembly elections, Pawan Kalyan received a traditional welcome from the family of NDA candidate Jitish Rao Saheb Antapurkar upon his arrival in Degloor.
Pawan Kalyan asserted that India’s emergence as the third-largest economy in the world was possible only under the NDA regime. He also praised the Nagpur-to-Thane Samruddhi Mahamarg project, which, he said, has contributed significantly to Maharashtra’s overall development. “I hold the highest regard for the land of the Marathas, which exemplifies the true meaning of Swaraj. This is the land of great leaders like Dr BR Ambedkar,” he remarked.
Pawan Kalyan lauded Balasaheb Thackeray’s dedication to protecting Sanatan Dharma. “One of the seven tenets of Jana Sena — nationalism combined with regionalism — is inspired by Thackeray’s ideals,” he said. He also emphasised that Thackeray’s spirit is reflected in the numerous policies implemented by the NDA.
Listing the NDA’s achievements, the actor-turned-politician highlighted the vision of making Maharashtra a strong economic powerhouse by 2028 and its crucial role in India’s journey to becoming a global superpower with a `5 trillion GDP. He appealed to the people of Degloor to elect Jitish Rao Saheb with a record majority, citing development initiatives like the Har Ghar Jal Yojana.
Lambasting the Congress, the Deputy Chief Minister claimed that Sanatana Dharma and its followers faced a security crisis under its rule, pointing to incidents like the Palghar sadhu killings. “The Congress government, in its bid to appease certain sections, failed to act against those responsible. Such governments are not what we need. We need a government that embodies the spirit of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said, labelling Congress leaders as divisive forces.
Pawan Kalyan’s slogans of “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji, Jai Maharashtra” and his speech, interspersed with Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu, resonated well with the crowd. Later, he addressed election rallies at Bhokar in Nanded district.