Tie-up with Congress better than with Afzal-supporter Mufti: Sena tells BJP
Fadnavis’ own party has become a ‘Congress’, by inducting castoffs of the Congress and NCP? The Congress is preferable to the BJP
In a bid to garner support for its candidate for the post of mayor, the Shiv Sena taunted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that in today’s world, it was better to side with the Congress, rather than the BJP’s choice of allies.
The Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Saamana, slammed the BJP over its alliance with Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that Mufti openly supported Afzal Guru — a convict in a Parliament attack case. It published an editorial in response to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ statement on Saturday, which said the BJP would never tie up with the Congress for power.
“We welcome what the chief minister said, but we wish to make one small change and suggest what he should have ideally said. He should have said the BJP will not go with the Congress, but it will go with Pakistan-supporter Mehbooba Mufti,” reads the editorial.
“The Congress is surely questionable, but establishing a government in an alliance with Afzal Guru-supporter Mehbooba Mufti is even more dangerous,” said the Shiv Sena, referring to the BJP’s alliance with the People’s Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir.
The editorial said the BJP was worse-off after having inducted leaders from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) into its ranks.
“What about the fact that Fadnavis’ own party has become a ‘Congress’, by [way of ]inducting castoffs of the Congress and NCP? The Congress is preferable to the BJP. What direction will the current ‘Congress’ version of the BJP take the state and the country in?” reads the editorial.
In the recently concluded Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, the Shiv Sena won 84 seats in the 227-member civic body, as against the BJP’s 82. The Shiv Sena quickly garnered the support of four more independents, taking its strength to 88. The Congress has won 31 seats. If it chooses to help the Shiv Sena, its support will be key in helping the Uddhav Thackeray-led party reach the majority mark and get its mayoral candidate elected. The party has been in backchannel talks with the Congress, which is divided over the issue.