Shiv Sena's 'booklet' leaves BJP fuming

BJP leader Ram Kadam said that the Shiv Sena was trying to be both an ally of the ruling party and an opposition at the same time.

Shiv Sena's move to distribute a booklet highlighting alleged corruption charges against BJP leaders has left the ruling party at the Centre fuming.

The booklet, titled "Scamster BJP", was released on Wednesday at Matoshree, which is Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's home. The publication mentions Eknath Khadse, Vinod Tawde, Vishnu Savara, Pravin Darekar, Jaykumar Rawal, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and others, along with the details of allegations against them.

BJP leader Ram Kadam said that the Shiv Sena was trying to be both an ally of the ruling party and an opposition at the same time.

"Shiv Sena ki dono taraf se dhol bajaane ki purani aadat hai, inhe satta mein bhi rehna hai aur vipaksh mein bhi (Shiv Sena has an old habit of beating the drum from both sides, they want to be in power as well as in the opposition)," Kadam told ANI.

The booklet lists out in detail the land grab case against Khadse and the charge of irregularities in procurement of fire tenders for schools against Education Minister Vinod Tawde. Among other allegations, it also mentions charges against Karnataka BJP chief BS Yedyurappa.

On Monday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday termed the BJP his party's "principal enemy" and said it is part of the Maharashtra government "just for the sake of it".

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has begun preparations for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls of 2019 and it is ready to fight elections whether or not there is an alliance with the BJP, Raut said.

The Shiv Sena, which is the oldest constituent of the NDA, is leaving no stone unturned to criticise the BJP on almost every major initiative or stand taken by the Centre. Be it demonetisation, the launch of bullet train or the election campaign in Gujarat, the Shiv Sena has openly slammed the BJP.

In recent times, Sena is cornering BJP from all sides and not just through editorials in their mouth piece Saamna. Sena leaders, including chief Uddhav Thackeray, are openly lashing out at the BJP in every forum possible. The two parties, who allies at both centre and the state, even fought Mumbai civic polls seperately after bickering over seat sharing.

The alliance, which is almost three decades old, is at its all time low. Every now and then one is left to ponder if the tie will snap.

OneIndia News