The Congress on Monday alleged the BJP might have forced the bickering ally Shiv Sena to agree for the poll tie-up by “showing it fear” of Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil dared Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to reveal the reasons behind taking a U-turn on alliance with the BJP for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
“I have information that the BJP might have compelled Shiv Sena to form an alliance by showing it fear of the Enforcement Directorate,” Vikhe Patil told reporters in Pune, hours after the Sena and the BJP sealed a seat-sharing pact in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah in Mumbai.
The senior Congress leader said the tie-up underlines that the ruling allies have come together out of fear of losing polls.
As per the understanding between the two parties, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23 of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
The two parties will contest an equal number of seats, after allotting allies their due share of segments, in polls for the 288-member state Assembly, due later this year.
Taking potshots, Maharashtra Congress unit president Ashok Chavan said the poll tie-up was an alliance of the “Rafale thief and the party which is desperate for power”.
“Tiger abhi bhi lachar hai,” Chavan said ridiculing the Sena. Tiger is the emblem of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Vikhe Patil wondered how could the BJP approach the Sena for an understanding when the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah by “crossing all lines”.
“The people of Maharashtra are mature enough and they will teach a lesson to both the parties. This alliance is a breach of trust of the people. It is ill-fated and opportunistic,” he said.
In a tweet with a hashtag “GolmalReturns”, Vikhe Patil stated, “As per my information, Shiv Sena is subjugated by BJP with by threatening the action by Enforcement Directorate. Therefore the declaration of alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena is taking place”.
Vikhe Patil also said the Sena has proved again that “brokering a deal” was the only programme on its agenda.
Recalling that Thackeray had borrowed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s “chowkidar chor hai” jibe to attack the PM, the Congress leader accused the BJP of “forgetting insults heaped on its leadership”.
“BJP too has lost all its self respect as its President Amit Shah went at the door steps of Uddhav Thackeray with a begging bowl. This goes to show that BJP has already sensed defeat. #GolmalReturns,” he added.