In a bid to keep the BJP candidate from winning the so-called Hindutva party Shiv Sena joined hands with Islamist Owaisi’s AIMIM. However, it was left red-faced with embarrassment when BJP’s Shirish Rasane emerged victorious despite the alliance.

After the coming together of Congress-NCP and Shiv Sena to form Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the state, various alliances have started forming in different districts of the state. Amidst all this, Shiv Sena’s alliance with AIMIM, which defeated Shiv Sena’s candidate in Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency, has sparked a political debate in the Amravati division.

All the opposition parties including Shiv Sena, AIMIM, and Congress were well prepared to defeat the BJP in the election for the chairmanship of the Standing Committee. Shiv Sena and AIMIM, who are known to be staunch opponents of each other, came together and discussed the strategy against BJP.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the BJP’s candidate was elected as the chairman of the standing committee and the opposition’s plans fell apart. In the meanwhile, the newfound love between Shiv Sena and AIMIM has become a topic of discussion in the politics of the state.

BJP is currently in power in Amravati Municipal Corporation. However, the opposition Congress, Shiv Sena, BSP, and AIMIM came together and challenged the BJP in the March 11 election for the chairmanship of the important standing committee.

Shiv Sena, AIMIM, and BSP decided to come together with Congress to keep BJP out of the standing committee. However, BSP corporator Chetan Pawar was absent at the time of voting. It was expected that disgruntled BJP corporators would not attend the polls.

This prediction of the opposition also went wrong and BJP candidate Shirish Rasane was elected as the chairman of the standing committee with 9 votes. BJP has 8 councilors in Amravati Municipal Corporation and BJP has the support of one local party candidate.

The entire election became a hot topic of debate and discussion only due to the Shiv Sena-AIMIM alliance with numerous allegations and counter-allegations being made by all parties. Immediately after the election, BJP targeted Shiv Sena by raising questions on the latter’s claim of being a Hindutva party.

“Is this what Shiv Sena’s Hindutva is?” BJP spokesperson Shivrai Kulkarni questioned while accusing Shiv Sena is of giving up on Hindutva just to stay in power. Shiv Sena corporator in the Amravati Municipal Corporation Jayashree Kurekar countered Kulkarni by saying, ‘We came together to keep the BJP out of power. We have not forgotten Hindutva. BJP does not need to teach us Hindutva.

(Featured Image Source: OpIndia)

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