Shiv Sena reminds BJP of Hindutva amid Maharashtra deadlock

Mumbai : Shiv Sena on Tuesday hit out at former ally BJP for removing them from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and making their MPs sit in the opposition side in both houses of the Parliament.

On Sunday, Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi had said that Shiv Sena MPs are being allotted seats on the opposition side in both houses of Parliament after its lone minister Arvind Sawant in the Union council of ministers resigned and the party is "working out" alliance with the Congress and NCP to form a government in Maharashtra.

In its mouthpiece Saamna, Shiv Sena said, "BJP leader Pralhad Joshi has announced Shiv Sena's removal from the NDA after it allied with Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra to form the government in the state. The Shiv Sena MPs were allotted seats on the opposition side in both houses of parliament. Those in the BJP who took this decision do not know about work done by Shiv Sena."

"When the BJP came into existence no party used to support it. When NDA was formed many leaders who are now holding posts in the present government were not holding any posts then and some of them were not even born," the editorial said.

Shiv Sena said, "When NDA was formed then important decisions were taken only after meeting the alliance partners under the leadership of George Fernandes and Lal Krishna Advani. We ask who is the leader of the NDA now?"

The editorial further questioned whether or not the decision to remove the party from the NDA was taken in a meeting with the alliance partners?

"Whatever has happened it has exposed those who were against the Shiv Sena. These people took the occasion of the occasion of the death anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray to made the announcement of the removal of Shiv Sena from the NDA," the opinion piece said.

"When the whole country was paying tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray who was one of the founders of NDA on that occasion these people removed Shiv Sena from NDA. The decision was taken without any discussion or correspondence through a letter," the party added.

BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

The Shiv Sena is now in parleys with the Congress and the NCP to form a government in the state.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.