SP is BJP’s B team, says Aaditya

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has dubbed the Samajwadi Party (SP) the ‘B team of the BJP’. On Saturday, SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi had criticised a December 6 social media post by Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar, which said that Bal Thackeray was proud of those who demolished the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. This has led to cracks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

Aaditya, while calling the SP in Maharashtra the BJP’s B team, said that at the same time Akhilesh Yadav was running the SP in a different way and leading the INDIA alliance well. “Our Hindutva is such that we have Ram in our heart and work for jobs for people,” he said.

SP MLA Rais Shaikh said that the MVA was formed on secular grounds and asked Aaditya Thackeray what he had to say about Narvekar’s tweet. “I don’t want to comment on this ‘B team’ remark,” said Shaikh. “I have spoken to state Congress chief Nana Patole on this issue. I want to know the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s reactions to Narvekar’s tweet.”

Azmi said that after the elections, Uddhav Thackeray had declared that the Sena (UBT) was back to a Hindutva agenda. “The MVA was formed on secular grounds,” he said. “If this is the new agenda, the SP does not want to stay in the MVA.”

December 6 was the 32nd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. Sena (UBT) leader Milind Narvekar put up a social media post with a picture of the demolition and a quote by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray that he was proud of those who had demolished the mosque. The poster also had pictures of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.