In a heated exchange during a recent rally in Dhule, Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Uddhav Thackeray and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP. Shah claimed that Thackeray’s alliance undermines Hindu values by aligning with parties that have historically opposed Hindu nationalist causes. According to Shah, Thackeray has strayed from the principles of his late father, Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. He accused Thackeray of forming a coalition with those who opposed landmark issues, such as the Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.
Labeling the MVA as an “Aurangzeb fan club,” Shah stated that the alliance embodies “appeasement politics,” positioning itself in stark contrast to the BJP’s “Mahayuti” coalition, which he described as adhering to the legacies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar. The home minister also argued that while the Mahayuti focuses on “vikas” (development), the MVA represents “vinash” (destruction), urging voters to choose development over divisiveness in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly election.
The political clash comes ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, with results expected on November 23. Shah also addressed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, critiquing a recent suggestion from the Ulema community to allocate reservations for Muslims. Shah asserted that such a policy would disrupt the reservation system for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), emphasizing that this is unlikely to occur under BJP governance.
