Time to liberate Sambhajinagar from `new Nizams': Amit Shah

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maha), Mar 5 (PTI) In an apparent reference to the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said it was time to "liberate" Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar from "new Nizams".

Speaking at a rally in the central Maharashtra city, he also targeted opposition parties for promoting dynasties, and claimed that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi wanted to make her son Rahul Gandhi prime minister.

"The entire Marathwada region was under the Nizam rule. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel liberated Marathwada from Nizam, and now it is time to liberate Sambhajinagar from the new Nizams," Shah said.

In the 2019 general elections, AIMIM's Imtiyaz Jaleel defeated undivided Shiv Sena's Chandrakant Khaire, supported by the BJP.

"Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son Rahul prime minister of the country. Sharad Pawar wants to make his daughter chief minister of Maharashtra. How can the heads of political parties who are helping only their family members ever do anything to benefit their country or make Bharat safe?" the BJP leader further said.

The people of Maharashtra gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (and its ally Shiv Sena) more than 41 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 2019, Shah said, adding, "I want more than 45 Lok Sabha seats this time." Coming down heavily on former ally Uddhav Thackeray, Shah said, "Uddhav Thackeray should be ashamed of joining hands with those who opposed the surgical strike." Thackeray parted ways with the BJP in 2019 and formed a government in the state with the Congress and undivided NCP. PTI ND KRK