Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday took a sharp dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying that Congress and the NCP-SCP have shown doors of Sangli to the latter ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls.
Speaking to reporters, Nirupam said, "One thing is clear Congress and the NCP-SCP have together thrown Uddhav Thackeray out of Sangli. The whole country saw what happened in Sangli during the Lok Sabha elections."
Nirupam termed these tactics a conspiracy of Congress and NCP-SCP to weaken Shiv Sena (UBT). "Today they have thrown out Uddhav Thackeray from Sangli, next, he will be thrown out of Maharashtra... Sharad Pawar has said that the CM candidate will not be announced till the results are declared. This means CM will belong to the party that wins more seats," he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Thackeray did not attend the public meeting addressed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra's Sangli district, where the latter also unveiled the statue of late Maharashtra minister Patangrao Kadam, raising speculations in political circles.
Rift in MVA over CM face?
Thackeray's absence assumes significance as Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate was defeated in the Lok Sabha elections from Sangli constituency by Congress rebel Vishal Patil. However, following the elections, Patil extended his support to the Congress.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief has been insisting that MVA's chief ministerial candidate be declared before the Assembly elections. However, Sharad Pawar and the Congress are not on the same page.
On Wednesday, the NCP (SP) supremo said that the decision on the chief minister can be made after the poll results based on which party wins the most number of Assembly seats.
Amid these differences in opinion, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator and Thackeray's son Aaditya maintained that there was no tussle in MVA alliance over the chief minister's face.
(Inputs from agencies)
