'Sat On NCP's Lap...': Amit Shah Accuses Uddhav Thackeray Of 'Betraying' BJP For CM Post In Maharashtra

Taking potshots at the former chief minister, Amit Shah said it was the Shiv Sainiks who were tired of Uddhav Thackeray's policies and were not ready to go with the NCP.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the gathering during a rally, in Nanded, Saturday.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused him of “betraying” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by joining hands with Nationalist Congress Party in a bid to become the chief minister of Maharashtra after the Assembly elections in 2019. Addressing a rally at Nanded on Saturday to mark the completion of nine years of the Narendra Modi government, Shah said Uddhav-led MVA government collapsed last year due to the Shiv Sainiks.

"I as a BJP president and then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had carried out negotiations in which Thackeray agreed that if the NDA emerged victorious, Fadnavis will be the chief minister (again). However, after the results (in 2019), Thackeray broke the promise and sat on NCP's lap," news agency PTI quoted Amit Shah as saying.

Taking potshots at the former chief minister, Amit Shah said it was the Shiv Sainiks who were tired of Thackeray's policies and were not ready to go with the NCP headed by Sharad Pawar that led to the fall of the Thackeray-led MVA government last year.

“We didn't pull down the Uddhav government. The Shivsainiks were tired of his policies and opposed the NCP alliance,” he said.

Speaking about the reservation for the Muslim community, the Union Minister said it was against the Constitution. “Muslim reservation is against the Constitution. There cannot be a reservation based on religion. Uddhav Thackeray should tell the people of Nanded if there should be a reservation for Muslims or not," Amit Shah said.

#WATCH | BJP believes that there should not be Muslim reservation as it is against the Constitution. Religion-based reservation should not happen. Uddhav Thackeray should make his stand clear on this: Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Maharashtra's Nanded pic.twitter.com/FPaIjnYKaj

— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2023

It is to be noted that Amit Shah’s visit to Maharashtra assumes significance as it takes place close on the heels of incidents of communal unrest reported in parts of the state, including Kolhapur, Ahmednagar and Beed. Nanded is also the home turf of Congress veteran and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan.