MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took potshots at the “mahagathbandhan” or mega-alliance, saying the proposed bloc is devoid of any issues.
Addressing a joint public rally on Sunday with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister said the opposition combine’s only agenda is to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
All the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will vote in four phases between April 11 and April 29.
Thackeray said though Sena had differences with the BJP over certain issues, but the party decided to forge a tie-up for the welfare of the people.
“Late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan and Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray had planted the sapling of the BJP-Sena alliance, which has manifested into a huge tree now,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sunday remained the day of overcoming crisis for political parties in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
While Fadnavis and Thackeray were successful in resolving the crisis at Jalna by pacifying rebellious minister Arjun Khotkar, Vanchit Vikas Aghadi (VVA) leader Prakash Ambedkar took a step back to keep the alliance intact while offering the Aurangabad seat to Owisi’s All India Muslim Ittehad ul Musalmene (AIMIM).
Fadnavis and Thackeray had a meeting with Khotkar, state BJP Chief Raosaheb Danve and Women and Child development minister Pankaja Munde in Aurangabad before addressing a joint rally of workers from both the parties.
Danve is the alliance candidate from Jalna and Khotkar was opposed to him. However, after the meeting the issue has been resolved, Fadnavis and Thackeray said.