Cong, NCP (SP) Mock BJP Amid Buzz of Its Poll Tie-up with Raj Thackeray

The Congress and NCP (SP) on Wednesday criticised the BJP over the meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Raj Thackeray, asking if the ruling party was low on confidence and how will it seek votes of north Indians if it ties-up with the MNS head.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray met Shah on Tuesday in New Delhi, in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state. Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar later said talks on the Lok Sabha polls between the two leaders were “positive”, and details will be shared in a day or two.

Thackeray’s controversial comments against north Indians in the past had drawn sharp criticism from leaders of various political parties, including the BJP. Reacting to the MNS leader’s meeting with Shah, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, ”How will the BJP seek votes of north Indians after forging an alliance with Raj Thackeray?”

The BJP did not just break the trust of north Indian voters, but has also hurt their pride by “rubbing salt” on their wounds, he claimed. To cross the 400 seats-mark (out of total 543) in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has been forced to ally with anyone who comes their way. The fact that the BJP has to forge an alliance with Raj Thackeray means they are staring at a defeat, he said.

The BJP toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and then hijacked the Shiv Sena party along with its symbol. It also broke Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Londhe alleged. Despite doing all this, winning the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra has become difficult for the BJP. Its defeat seems inevitable, he claimed.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) state president Jayant Patil wondered if the BJP is low on confidence despite being in majority. ”Why does the BJP feel the need for new partners?” he asked.

MNS vice president Vageesh Saraswat said Raj Thackeray was called for a meeting by the BJP leadership in Delhi. ”He has called a meeting of MNS leaders and office-bearers in Mumbai tomorrow to seek their opinion on whether the alliance proposal should be accepted,” Saraswat said. ”We have made preparations to contest 14 to 18 seats in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik if we go alone, else we will go by how many seats we get in the alliance,” he added.