If Sena has some self-respect then it would have severed ties with the BJP said Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
Leader of the opposition in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil took potshots at Shiv Sena and said why is Sena continuing to support BJP even though it has been insulted. Patil said that the BJP was initially reluctant to invite Shiv Sena for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at BKC. It had sent last minute invitations to Sena which the party turned down. Patil said that ever since BJP had won the assembly election it has been playing the role of big brother to Sena. Both the party has been at loggerheads over various issues as Shiv Sena attacks BJP through its mouthpiece Saamna. Patil asked is the Shiv Sena under some pressure to continue it’s alliance with the BJP?
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said, “The BJP is trying to lure Dalit voters by performing the bhoomipujan at Indu Mills for the B R Ambedkar Memorial. This event was planned garner political mileage ahead of the Bihar assembly polls. The Congress had played a significant role in getting the Indu mills land for Ambedkar memorial in the city. All the formalities pertaining to this issue was completed during the Congress reign then how can the BJP suddenly come forward to take credit for it?”
However some work remained pending as the model code of conduct had come into force last year due to assembly election. He said that the Fadnavis government has only completed the final formalities pertaining to this project. The bhoomi pujan of this Indu mill could have completed during the Congress reign.
Earlier the government had planned to organise the bhoomi pujan on the occasion of Ambedkar’s birthday on April 14. However this event was postponed as both Modi and Fadnavis had embarked on a foreign tour. Later the event was planned to be held on October 4 but it was postponed by a week to October 11. This bhoomi pujan would not have happened if the Bihar polls were not held this year.
Uddhav Thackeray had gone a tour to Beed as he didn’t receive any invitation for Modi’s event in Mumbai.
“The Shiv Sena is hungry for power hence they are continuing to support the Fadnavis government. If Sena has some self-respect then it would have severed ties with the BJP. Shiv Sena is not bothered about the plight of farmers and it is undertaking this tour simply to garner political mileage” added Patil.
When AV spoke to Shiv Sena spokesperson, Neelam Gorhe she said, “Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil should understand that we have our party policies in place and we are capable of managing everything. So there is no need for him or anyone else to poke his nose.”
“Even though Uddhav Thackeray and other Sena leaders received invites, but it was not sent through proper channel. Uddhavji had pre-planned his visit to Marathwada. Since when we are having an alliance with BJP they should have given us a proper invite. The excuses given to us about protocols are simply ridiculous.”
