If Sharad Was Shadab...: Asaduddin Owaisi Swipes At NCP For Backing BJP Alliance In Nagaland

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took a dig at Sharad Pawar and said, "SAHIB’s supporting those who jailed his minister Nawab Malik."

New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday took a dig at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its party chief Sharad Pawar after the party extended its support to the NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland.

Slamming the NCP for backing the coalition with the BJP, Owaisi said, "If 'Sharad' was 'Shadab' he’d be called BTeam & be an untouchable for 'seculars'. I’ve never supported BJP govt &never will but this is the 2nd time NCP supported BJP& it may not be the last."

He also took a dig at Sharad Pawar and said, "SAHIB’s supporting those who jailed his minister Nawab Malik. This is the value of Muslims."

His remarks came just hours after the NCP, in an unexpected move, announced its support for Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday, despite being a major opponent of the BJP, which is one of the alliance partners in the Nagaland government, in Maharashtra and other states.

In a statement, NCP's in-charge of Northeast Narendra Verma said that the NCP was awaiting party chief Sharad Pawar's nod to extend its support to the NDPP-BJP government "in the larger interest of the state". The statement did not mention the BJP, but Verma claimed that the decision was taken in the interest of the State of Nagaland and the party's good ties with Rio.

Explaining his decision, Sharad Pawar said that his party's support was not for the BJP but for Chief Minister Rio. He further said that the decision was taken to maintain political stability in Nagaland. Sharad Pawar said that seven members of the NCP had been elected in the Nagaland Assembly elections. During the elections, the Chief Minister had our support. Pawar said that NCP's understanding is with the Chief Minister.

The NCP's support to the government comes after all the other parties in the assembly, including NPP, NPF, Lok Janshakti Party LJP (Ram Vilas), Republican Party of India (Athawale), Janata Dal (United) and Independents, extended their support.

In the recently concluded Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections, the NDPP won 25 seats and the BJP won 12 seats, while the NCP won seven seats. Although the NCP has the numbers to claim the Leader of the Opposition position, its MLAs expressed their desire to join the government during Verma's visit to Nagaland last week.

Neiphiu Rio was sworn in as Chief Minister for the fifth time on Tuesday, and his Cabinet comprises seven ministers from the NDPP and five from the BJP.