Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav on Friday strongly countered the BJP’s “Aurangzeb” jibe over the Parbhani mayoral election, asserting that the saffron party was in no position to lecture others on Hindutva, having previously aligned with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in local bodies.

The BJP had criticised the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) for nominating party corporator Syed Iqbal for the mayor’s post in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation, alleging that the party had sidelined the Marathi manoos.

Iqbal was elected mayor on Thursday with the backing of the Congress, defeating BJP candidate Tirumala Khillare by a margin of 13 votes.

Reacting to the result, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban alleged that Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was “advancing Aurangzeb’s agenda” in Parbhani by fielding a Muslim candidate for the mayoral post.

Dismissing the charge, Jadhav pointed out that the BJP had earlier formed alliances with the AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district and the Achalpur Municipal Council in Amravati district.

“We have not joined hands with the AIMIM as the BJP did in Akot and Achalpur. So the BJP should not preach Hindutva to us,” Jadhav said, adding that whenever there was a need to take a stand on Hindutva, Shiv Sainiks had taken to the streets, while the BJP remained passive.

He further claimed that the AIMIM functioned as the BJP’s “B team,” alleging that the party used it tactically under the garb of Hindutva politics.

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Jadhav also said that the Muslim community had supported Shiv Sena (UBT) in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, while rejecting the AIMIM. “That support was recognised in the mayoral post. When the next mayor is to be elected, we will nominate a Hindu candidate,” he added.