NEW DELHI--A day after he claimed he could make or break the BJP-led government, Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj did a U-turn Wednesday and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his politics of “inclusive development” and described him as a “divine power”.
He said he was wrongly quoted and claimed that he was a soldier of Modi and his admirer. “How can I say that I can make or break the government? Such an arrogance does not befit even a fool… Modi is India’s divine destiny. I am his soldier. He is not a common man but a divine power. The idea he has for the progress of India and its place in the world is not possible for a common man to think,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
He said the construction of Ram temple, an agenda Hindu groups have been prioritising, could wait because the government was focusing on development. He, however, was quick to add that everybody, including Modi, wanted a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.
Tuesday, Maharaj had told Reuters in an interview that Modi should concentrate on the economy and the Hindu agenda simultaneously. The agency quoted him as saying “I can make or break the government”.
Party sources said BJP may take action against Maharaj, who according to them had defied the party’s diktat that he should not speak out of turn. They added that the party has asked him to do damage control as far as he can and ensure that the row does not cause further embarrassment for BJP before the Delhi polls. Sources said party chief Amit Shah may take action against him after the polls.
The Indian Express
