The BJP, stung by former ally Uddhav Thackeray's comment that it used Hindutva for political convenience, today hit back at the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief.
"Shiv Sena has selective memory. The Shiv Sena was not even born when BJP had its members in the Mumbai civic body. In the 1984 election, their party candidate contested on a BJP ticket," BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
Addressing a Shiv Sena event yesterday, Uddhav Thackeray had said that the 25 years the Sena spent with BJP as an ally "were a waste".
"Shiv Sena had aligned with the BJP as it wanted power for Hindutva. Sena never used Hindutva for the sake of power," he said.
"The Sena has left the BJP and not Hindutva. I believe that BJP's opportunistic Hindutva is only for power," Mr Thackeray commented.
Devendra Fadnavis said the Chief Minister's comments showed that he was frustrated by his party finishing fourth in recent Nagar Panchayat or local body polls and was taking it out on the BJP.
"Where were you in the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign? We took the bullets and the lathis. Today the Ram temple is being built at Ayodhya under the leadership of PM Modi," Mr Fadnavis said.
The BJP and the Sena fell out over power sharing after the 2019 Maharashtra polls. The Sena tied up with the ideologically opposite NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Devendra Fadnavis Keeps Home, Eknath Shinde Gets 3 Maharashtra Ministries Former AAP MLA Sukhbir Singh Dalal Joins BJP Ahead Of Delhi Assembly Polls BJP To Not Name Chief Ministerial Candidate For Delhi Polls: Source Is Safe Car Enough? Volvo Crash That Killed CEO, Family Sparks Big Question "Nothing Short Of Nightmare": Woman Misses Life Event, Slams Air India Snack Food Epigamia Founder Rohan Mirchandani Dies Of Cardiac Arrest At 41 "I Highlighted It In Parliament": Raghav Chadha On Airport Initiative Woman, Her Friend Check Into Delhi Hotel, Both Found Dead Days Later China Says It "Firmly Opposes" US Military Aid To Taiwan Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.