Shiv Sena on Wednesday issued a booklet to its party workers and all office-bearers listing out the scams that allegedly surfaced during the tenure of its rulling ally Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in Maharashtra.
This comes at a time when the BJP is celebrating its government's three years in the state. The booklet titled 'Scamster BJP (Ghotalebaaz Bhajpa)' was distributed in the presence of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
The Sena publication lists BJP leaders who face corruption charges, including former minister and senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse, who is accused in a land grab case, Education Minister Vinod Tawde who faces the charge of irregularities in procurement of fire tenders for schools and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Mahajan, accused of corruption in the procurement of tur dal, reported NDTV.
Seven other BJP ministers also made it to the cut list.
Shiv Sena has been the harshest critic of the Narendra Modi-led central government for the past three years –more harsh than the opposition parties like Congress and NCP. Maharashtra BJP, with 122 members, has a reason to not break the political alliance because it needs the support of roughly 20 legislators in the assembly to achieve the majority figure of 145 in the House of 288.
According to a report in the Mumbai Mirror, the booklet was first published during the BMC elections earlier this year. But now, as the rift deepens between the two parties, many see it as Sena's roadmap for the 2019 elections- meaning that the road to poll fight is going to be a lone one for the BJP.
The Sena, in the recent times, has mounted attck on BJP. Its senior leader Sanjay Raut recently declared BJP as his party's "principal enemy", while an editorial in the Sena's mouthpiece Saamana had suggested that Maharashtra's Devendra Fadnavis government assess their partnership and "leave it," if not satisfied.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP had earlier this week called out the Shiv Sena on its constant opposition to his government's decisions and policies and said it "cannot simultaneously play the roles of a ruling party and an opposition at the same time." He said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray "has to decide" on their alliance, lashing out at Sena leaders who "think they are bigger than the party chief and make statements."
