New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him 'the most rejected commodity in Indian politics', after the latter criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'seven appeals' made during an address in Secunderabad.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly been rejected by the people in elections and asserted that the country stood firmly behind Prime Minister Modi.

'Rahul Gandhi is the most rejected commodity in Indian politics, rejected by all, in every single state. It seems to me that he is simply a product that the people have cast aside. In a democracy, only those whom the people accept truly matter. So, when it comes to a figure like Rahul Gandhi, who is so consistently rejected, do you really accord him any significance? The nation stands with Modi Ji; the nation stands behind PM Modi; and time and again, the nation bestows its blessings upon PM Modi,' the Chief Minister added.

The remarks came after Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Modi's 'seven appeals' where the Prime Minister urged people to reduce edible oil consumption, use public transport, adopt natural farming practices, and minimise fuel usage to help the country cope with global economic pressures caused by international conflicts.

Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Modi's recent 'seven appeals' to counter the ongoing West Asia crisis, and termed them as 'failures' rather than 'sermons.' In an 'X' post, the Congress MP intensified his attack on PM Modi, reiterating his 'Compromised PM' criticism and added that running the country is no longer in the hands of the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, while addressing the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 in Delhi on Monday, Fadnavis said Maharashtra was preparing for the 'next era of the global economy' and reaffirmed it's commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat.'

He highlighted Maharashtra's focus on infrastructure, technology, renewable energy and manufacturing as key pillars of future economic growth.

'Maharashtra is preparing for something bigger, a new era of the global economy. We strive for the aim of PM's vision of Viksit Bharat. We are the commercial and entertainment capital of India. Maharashtra attracted 30 lakh crore investments in Davos. In a world of uncertainty, trust becomes economic capital. The future economy will be built on highways, ports and other infrastructure. Infrastructure is design, and that is why Maharashtra is investing in unprecedented speed,' Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister added the future economy would be driven by artificial intelligence, data centres, deep-tech innovation and clean energy.

'The future economy is driven by AI, data centres, deep tech innovations, and clean energy. We are emerging as India's most developed data infrastructure. Twenty per cent of automobile output and EV manufacturing -- our ambition is to design and build in Maharashtra. The future belongs to those who create,' he said. (ANI)