As Amit Shah fails to meet Uddhav, Opposition says BJP has ‘no respect’

Seizing an opportunity to point out differences between alliance partners Shiv Sena and BJP, the Opposition on Wednesday took a jibe at BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit to Mumbai. The Congress-NCP said that the BJP has “no respect” for its ally as Mr Shah visited Ganesh pandals in the city but did not meet Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Mr Shah visited Ganesh pandals here during the ongoing 10-day Ganpati festival. On a day-long visit to Mumbai, he first visited a Ganpati mandal in Bandra, headed by BJP MLA and party’s city chief Ashish Shelar, to have ‘darshan’ of Lord Ganesh. He then proceeded to ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’, which is the most famous Ganpati. Later, Mr Shah visited the ‘Girgaoncha Raja’ mandal, located in South Mumbai. However, he refrained from attending any other programme.

Congress MLA Nitesh Rane said it is high time Sena withdraws support to the government on moral grounds. “In earlier days, whenever a Central leader used to visit Mumbai, be it L.K. Advaniji, Murli Manohar Joshiji or others who have now been confined to the ‘Marg Darshak Mandal’ of the BJP, they used to pay a visit to ‘Matoshree’ to meet late Balasaheb Thackeray,” he said. “But the newer generation of leaders of the BJP seem to have lost all respect for its allies. Uddhavji too stays in Bandra, not more than 10 minutes away from the place Amit Shah visited. But he did not have the courtesy or the respect to meet his party’s oldest ally. If the Sena has any self-respect left, they should do away with the BJP once and for all,” Mr Rane said.

NCP leader Nawab Malik said the BJP should now declare itself a party that will not need the support of allies in future as well. “The BJP seems to have become too big a party to need any ally for support. If it doesn’t respect its oldest ally, what will it do to others ” Mr Malik asked.