BJP's Ashish Shelar criticised Uddhav Thackeray over comment on government formation
Senior Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Monday made a controversial comment against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his party, Shiv Sena, over "aligning with people whose flags had the moon and star" on it.
The crescent moon and the five pointed star is an Islamic symbol. Mr Shelar was reacting to an interview of Mr Thackeray published on Monday's edition of Sena mouthpiece Saamana, in which the Chief Minister said he had not asked for the moon and stars from former ally BJP by asking it to fulfil the "promise" of equal sharing of the chief ministerial tenure.
The BJP had refused the demand during government formation talks with the Sena after the assembly election results were announced in October last year.
"Promises made are supposed to be fulfilled. There is sadness and anger of breaking a promise and then I had no option. I don't know if the BJP has recovered from the shock. What big did I ask... moon or stars? I just reminded them about what was agreed upon before Lok Sabha elections," Mr Thackeray told Saamana.
Hitting back, Mr Shelar said, "I don't know whether he asked for the moon or not. But it seems they (Sena) are sitting with those people having flags with moon and star on it."