Uddhav Thackeray has become subservient to Cong: Shiv Sena MP Kirtikar

Mumbai, Aug 31 (PTI) Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar on Thursday targeted rival Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, claiming he has become subservient to the Congress and is rolling out carpet for those who have taken an anti-Hindutva stand, while hosting the opposition INDIA alliance meeting here.

Addressing a press conference along with state Shiv Sena minister Deepak Kesarkar, Kiritikar, the parliamentarian from northwest Mumbai, also claimed there is a "paradox" in the opposition bloc INDIA with regard to ideologies.

The opposition INDIA alliance leaders are getting together in Mumbai for the third round of a brainstorming session on Thursday and Friday to chalk out their common campaign strategy to take on the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar, is hosting the third meeting of the opposition INDIA alliance in Mumbai.

Kesarkar said there is still no clarity on the prime ministerial candidate in the opposition bloc.

The day the opposition declares its prime minister candidate, the opposition unity will "crumble into pieces," he claimed.

Kirtikar said seat sharing will also be a problem for the opposition alliance, especially in states like West Bengal where arch rivals Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left are in the same bloc.

"Balasaheb Thackeray formed the Shiv Sena on the basis of Hindutva, but Uddhav Thackeray has become subservient to the Congress," Kirtikar claimed.

When Congress leaders dubbed Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar as "maafiveer", a reference to mercy petitions he wrote to the British, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders did not ask any questions and instead Aaditya Thackeray attended Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Kirtikar said.

"The chief minister who ordered firing at kar sevaks on the banks of the Sarayu river (a reference to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav) and Lalu Prasad who stopped L K Advani's rath yatra...Uddhav Thackeray is going to roll a carpet for them," he said.

Mulayam Singh's son and current Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is scheduled to attend the INDIA alliance meeting here.

"He (Thackeray) is welcoming (PDP leader) Mehbooba Mufti and is eager to make Rahul Gandhi the prime minister," Kirtikar claimed.

Out of the (28) opposition parties assembling in Mumbai, 17 are "dynastic parties" and have come together with the intention that their next generation should get something, he further claimed.

"The helplessness which is happening in Mumbai was not acceptable to us even at that time (when Thackeray joined the Maha Vikas Aghadi). Is this helplessness (Thackeray hosting INDIA alliance leaders) acceptable to Maharashtra?" Kesarkar said.