Mumbai, Jul 5 (IANS): Deputy Chief Minister and breakaway Nationalist Congress Party President Ajit Pawar has declared that in the 2024 elections, there's "no alternative" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing his party's maiden meeting here on Wednesday.

"There is no alternative to Modi in the 2024 elections… that's the reality.Even Sharad Pawar Saheb has said this," Ajit Pawer said.

He advised his uncle and NCP Founder-President Sharad Pawar, 83, not to remain adamant and given his senior age, should take rest and guide the party, as "he is our mentor and inspiration".

Justifying his group's decision to revolt from the NCP and join the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance government, he said that all his supporters will benefit in various ways.

The rival NCP will be able to contest around 90 seats, many Lok Sabha seats, all the works stuck in the MLAs constituencies shall be now taken forward in full steam, other workers will be given other positions, and vowed that development backlogs in different regions would be taken up, without discrimination.

"We shall win more seats compared to 2014 or 2019. I have become the Deputy CM five times and I have made it clear that I want to become the Chief Minister… Why am I always being painted as a villain?” demanded Ajit Pawar of his uncle.

He also said that it's because of Sharad Pawar that the NCP did not get its own CM for so many years, and several opportunities were lost in the past, when he did not listen to the party and took a different stance.