29 February,2024 05:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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In a scathing editorial published in its party mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) attacked the BJP's unwavering pursuit of a "Congress-mukt Bharat" while relying on Congress for political manoeuvring.
The editorial underlined the BJP's dual goal of striving for a "Congress-mukt Bharat" while also advocating a scenario of "zero opposition party" under the Narendra Modi government, reported PTI.
According to the report, Shiv Sena (UBT) drew attention to recent occurrences, like as the defeat of Congress' Rajya Sabha nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi in Himachal Pradesh despite having adequate numbers for victory, and highlighted the Modi regime's explicit encouragement of horse-trading.
The editorial also mentioned instances of cross-voting in Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, where a Samajwadi Party candidate fell to the BJP, emphasising the BJP's reliance on the Congress, reported the news agency.
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"The BJP is obsessed with Congress mukt Bharat, but it cannot move ahead an inch without the Congress," the Shiv Sena UBT claimed.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the BJP of hypocrisy, claiming that the BJP's pursuit of a "Congress-mukt Bharat" ironically culminates in the creation of a "Congress yukt Bharat" - a BJP populated by former Congress members.
"The BJP forgets that by resorting to Congress-mukt Bharat, it becomes Congress-yukt Bharat (a BJP filled with Congressmen)," the editorial stated.
The editorial also emphasised the BJP's tactic of enticing defections from the Congress, as demonstrated by the election of former Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Harsh Mahajan to the Rajya Sabha on BJP tickets.
Chavan and Mahajan, who switched allegiance from the Congress to the BJP, exemplify the saffron party's strategy of orchestrating defections from the Congress ranks, according to the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Meanwhile, during a press conference in Maharashtra's Nagpur, BJP MP from Bengaluru south, Tejasvi Surya accused the grand-old party of being inherently divisive. The MP, speaking about an incident wherein Congress leader Syed Naseer's supporters were accused of shouting pro-Pakistan slogans at Vidhana Soudha in Karnataka, said, "Divisiveness is inherent in the DNA of the Congress party. It would be a mistake to hope for anything else other than this from the Congress."
With PTI inputs
