In a scathing attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday described the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation as a "punctured rickshaw" whose wheels are going in three different directions and causing only pollution. Addressing a gathering of BJP volunteers in Pune, Mr Shah dubbed Congress a "dealer", Shiv Sena a "broker" and said NCP is associated with "transfers".
Earlier, the BJP had alleged that a senior state intelligence official had exposed a racket of transfers of senior police officers in August 2020.
Mr Shah said Shiv Sena compromised with Hindutva for the sake of power and betrayed BJP.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party fell out with BJP after the 2019 Assembly polls in Maharashtra and joined hands with Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Congress to form a government.
Playing on the DBT acronym of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme of the Modi government, Mr Shah said in the MVA government Congress takes the 'D' for a dealer, Shiv Sena the 'B' for a broker, and NCP the 'T' for transfers.
Mr Shah also sounded a bugle for the elections to municipal corporations, including Mumbai, which are due next year. He appealed to BJP workers to reach out to voters and explain to them about corruption and other irregularities committed by the MVA.
"Shiv Sena compromised with Hindutva for power. Two generations (of Sena) fought against a party (Congress) and now they are sharing power with the same party. Sena betrayed BJP just for power," Mr Shah said.
He said the downfall of the MVA will begin with Pune Municipal Corporation polls. "Earlier I had made a statement that the MVA is a three-wheeler rickshaw whose wheels are going in different directions. Now, I modify that statement. MVA is a three-wheeler rickshaw whose wheels are going in three different directions. All these three wheels are punctured. This rickshaw is causing pollution," Mr Shah said.
Does Maharashtra want a direct benefit transfer or the dealer-broker-transfer? he asked.
"Visit every home and take PM Modi's message," Mr Shah told the audience.
He also dared MVA to contest elections against BJP.
"Just resign from the posts and contest elections. Let's contest elections and let those three parties stand together. Our BJP volunteers are ready. People of Maharashtra are also ready for the audit of (the work) what has been done so far (by MVA)," the BJP MP said.
He also slammed the MVA for not reducing the prices of fuel.
"They talked about inflation. Modiji reduced prices but they (MVA) did not do so. I guess MVA has some hearing issues. Modiji reduced fuel prices and appealed to states to slash the rates too. BJP-led states cut the prices of fuel but the MVA decreased the prices of liquor. Maharashtra's people don't want cheap liquor but fuel," he said.
He alleged that the MVA has criminalised politics and lodging cases against BJP workers and politicians.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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