Congress Leadership Seeks Explanation of Tie-Up With BJP in Gondia

Even though the NCP emerged as the main player grabbing 20 seats in the 53-member Zilla Parishad, the Congress which had only 16 seats joined hands with the 17 members of the BJP to gain control of the body. The NCP leader announced that they would take to the streets against the BJP-led government in the state if it failed to help the distressed farmers. It not only spoiled the unity of opposition in the ongoing monsoon session of the Assembly, but also ensured that the BJP remains in power despite losing the election. “BJP sat alone on one side whereas all other parties including Congress and NCP from the Opposition and the Sena were on the other side”, said Mr Thakre.

Taunting the BJP over joining hands with arch-rival Congress in Gondia Zilla Parishad, the Shiv Sena said in politics it is not known when friends become enemies and vice versa. The BJP suffered major losses and was restricted to 17 and 13, compared to 27 and 25 in 2010.

However, Congress had a post-poll alliance with BJP and bagged the ZP president’s post while the saffron party got the vice president’s post, leaving NCP out of power. Mr Thakre went on to claim that he had convinced Congress Maharashtra President Ashok Chavan to hold state-wide protests against the government. “Everyone is surprised with the alliance of a pure party like BJP with the Congress”, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece “Saamana” said on Friday. “He should have kept differences aside at such a time”, said a senior party leader. The government feels that the state already has a loan burden and any additional load will lead to us going the way of Greece.

“The results of Gondia and Bhandara were in favour of the Congress and NCP, which was unfortunate”.

Mr Munde noted that he would not say the Congress had hijacked the issue from NCP but it had definitely created an atmosphere across the state in a very systematic manner.

Taunting the BJP, the Sena further said, “Taking a decision of this magnitude requires a lot of courage”. If they wanted to die, then the previous regime was not bad. “Hence, the servant must not talk of destroying his owner”, said an editorial on Thursday in the Sena organ Saamna. Recently in Pune Corporation, the NCP chose Raj Thackeray’s MNS above Congress to form alliance.