NEW DELHI: Tensions within Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) continue to simmer, with Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray hitting out at the Maharashtra unit of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and its chief, Abu Azmi, for the intention to withdraw from the alliance over “Hindutva credentials.”
“Our Hindutva is about ‘hriday mein Ram aur haath ko kaam’ (Ram in the heart and work in the hands)… Our Hindutva is about taking everyone together,” Aaditya Thackeray said.
While the Shiv Sena leader consicoulsy refrained from targeting SP chief Akhilesh Yadav , he accused the SP Maharashtra unit of working in tandem with the BJP. “Akhilesh Yadav ji is fighting his fight, but the SP here (Maharashtra unit) sometimes behaves like the B-team of the BJP,” he said.
The rebuke from Thackeray followed the announcement by Maharashtra SP chief to pull out of the MVA alliance, citing a social media post by a Shiv Sena (UBT) legislative council member known to be close to party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Milind Narvekar had shared a social media post featuring an image of the Babri Masjid demolition alongside a quote from Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray: “I am proud of those who did this.” The post also included pictures of Uddhav Thackeray and his son, MLA Aaditya Thackeray.
This drew a response from Maharashtra SP chief Abu Azmi, who said that his party could no longer remain in the MVA, accusing Shiv Sena (UBT) of taking pride in those responsible for the Babri Masjid demolition.
“After losing elections, they have changed their ideology. If this continues, the MVA won’t survive. SP contested 8 seats and won 2, yet MVA fielded candidates against us in 7 constituencies. Uddhav Thackeray instructs his workers to focus on Hindutva. Those responsible for the Babri Masjid demolition, an act labeled as criminal by the Supreme Court on December 6—a black day—are being congratulated. SP is secular. How can we work with a party that uses communal language?” Azmi said.
However, the Samajwadi Party’s national leadership distanced itself from Azmi’s remarks. “Abu Asim Azmi is a senior leader of the Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra, but decisions about the party’s alliances are made by the national leadership,” an SP spokesperson later said.
The development comes amid growing discord in the INDIA bloc nationally over a host of issues and especially following Congress’s dismal performance in assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra.
