‘BJP weakening Shiv Sena at district level’: MLA Abdul Sattar (IANS interview)

Mumbai, June 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers are trying to weaken the Eknath Shinde-led party at the district level. Targeting the BJP, Sattar said that such attempts work like "slow poison to weaken the alliance".

During an interaction with IANS, Sattar said: "The resentment stemmed from the fact that while the BJP is our alliance partner today and the Chief Minister belongs to the BJP, some of its workers at the district level are trying to weaken the Shiv Sena."

"Instead of working together, they (BJP) are sidelining Shiv Sena and consolidating power for themselves," he alleged.

He emphasised that the BJP needs to reflect on this, because Shiv Sena are alliance partners and not their opponents.

Abdul Sattar said that whatever is taking place between the BJP and Shiv Sena in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, if it is also taking place in other districts, then it is a "slow poison which weakens the alliance".

He also expressed concern that if this situation persists in other regions, then Shiv Sena's control over the 'Marathwada' will weaken.

He noted that several institutions, which were earlier ruled by Shiv Sena, have now been taken away from the party.

"One institution after another has been taken away from us. Municipal corporations have gone, Zilla Parishads have gone, and now even the Legislative Council seat has gone," Sattar said.

The Shiv Sena MLA added: "There was a time when Shiv Sena was the number one force here. Even today, we have six MLAs and one MP. Despite having such strength, we are not getting anything at the grassroots level. After being elected, power should be used properly and not misused."

Moreover, Sattar said that the purported fault lines in the MahaYuti alliance, which also includes the NCP, were not experienced by him in the first two-and-a-half years of its rule.

"When we were in power and Eknath Shinde was the Chief Minister, there was no question of realising these things. But in the last 18 months, I have clearly understood it," he added.

The Shiv Sena MLA said: "The attitude and working style I have been observing over these 18 months are not right."

Underlining that an alliance partner should not be weakened, Sattar added: "If BJP, being the majority party in the alliance, wants to consolidate power by finishing Shiv Sena, that is wrong."

He said that the issues were presented to Deputy Chief Minister and party supremo Eknath Shinde.

"He listened carefully to every point for nearly three-and-a-half hours. Now the matter will be discussed at the party level. If the party finds merit in these concerns, we will raise them with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," Sattar added.

The Shiv Sena MLA said that if BJP workers at the grassroot level are indeed engaging in such activities, then that system should be immediately stopped.

"If they (BJP) are not doing so, then perhaps the fault lies with us, and our leaders will tell us where we are wrong," Sattar added.

He asserted that if mistakes are being made on either side, it should be immediately taken care of so that it does not negatively affect the next Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.

He expressed concern about the future of BJP and Shiv Sena alliance for the next Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls, saying: "We should give a thought to this."

Responding to questions over possibility of the two factions of Shiv Sena uniting again, Abdul Sattar said: "Who controls 'Matoshree’s' remote? It is Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. And who controls our party's remote? It is Eknath Shinde. As for the future of both, nothing can be said today."

"Could anyone predict that Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray might come together? But it happened," Sattar added.

Sattar jokingly added: "Some people won't even let them (Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray) come together."

Source: IANS