BJP’s Ram Kadam slammed the opposition for their absence from poll meetings, predicting a BJP victory and warning them not to blame EVMs. He also condemned local alliances with Congress and AIMIM, announcing the suspension of leaders involved.
BJP Predicts Victory, Slams Opposition’s Absence
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam on Thursday denounced opposition leaders for being a no-show in the meetings ahead of the Municipal Corporation elections, thereby affirming the victory of the BJP.
Kadam, speaking to ANI, said that Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde, despite holding key positions of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, are actively campaigning for the elections. He attributed the opposition leaders’ reluctance to “leave homes for meetings” to their potential loss, adding that the opposition should not blame EVM and electoral rolls if they lose. “During the elections in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Congress leaders did not leave their homes for meetings. The same is happening now in the local body elections. No one has come out of their houses… On the other hand, despite being behind the chief minister and deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have been holding 11-12 meetings and rallies per day,” Kadam said. “Naturally, we will win, and they will lose… They do not have a moral right to blame the EVM and the electoral rolls for this after losing…,” he added.
Kadam on ‘Shameful’ Alliances
The BJP leader also condemned the surprising alliance with Congress and AIMIM in Ambernath and Akot Municipal Council, stating that “we are fighting an ideological war.” He said that the leaders were suspended immediately after the information of the “shameful incident” surfaced and affirmed that the opposing parties “can never come together.” “…As soon as we became aware of this, we served them with notice and suspended them. We are fighting an ideological war, and the ideologies of Congress and AIMIM are opposing ideologies. We can never come together, and we do not even want to think about it. Those who were involved in this shameful incident will face stringent action from our party,” Kadam stated.
Sanjay Raut Hits Back at BJP’s ‘Double Standards’
Earlier on Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised the BJP for forming a surprising alliance with Congress and AIMIM in Ambernath and Akot Municipal Council, respectively, after the local bodies election.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Sanjay Raut called out the BJP for “their double standards” of giving a slogan of “Congress-free India” and then entering into an alliance with them to secure a majority in the Ambernath municipal council. He also criticised the BJP for being in alliance with Ajit Pawar’s NCP, stating that Ajit Pawar does not believe in Veer Savarkar’s ideology. “BJP is a double-standard party. They have made an alliance with AIMIM, and Congress is in Ambernath. Modiji’s slogan is to make Congress-free India, but they are in alliance with Congress. They are double-standard people. Don’t trust them,” Sanjay Raut said.
Details of the Ambernath, Akot Alliances
BJP, in a rare move, entered into an alliance with Congress to gain control over the Ambernath municipal council to keep out its ally Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena won the highest number of 27 seats, just four shy of a majority in the 60-member House. BJP, on the other hand, won 14 seats, Congress won 12, Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 4 seats, and two seats went to independent candidates, prompting BJP to ally with Congress and Ajit Pawar’s NCP.
BJP also formed a similar alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and several other parties in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)