Maharashtra: Amit Shah calls MVA "Aurangzeb fan club", Uddhav Thackeray "club leader"

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 21 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out at the opposition alliance in Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) referring to it as "Aurangzeb fan club" and alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is the club leader.
While addressing the BJP conclave in Maharashtra's Pune on Sunday, Shah also targeted Congress, accusing the party of spreading "misconceptions" about reservation, as he alleged that the Congress party cannot do anything for the upliftment of poor people.
The BJP conclave comes in the wake of the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in Maharashtra. The state is likely to go to poll for the 288-member legislative assembly later this year, as the tenure of the current government ends in 2024. However, the Election Commission is yet to announce the dates.
"Maha Vikas Aghadi is Aurangzeb fan club. This Aurangzeb fan club cannot ensure India's security. Uddhav Thackeray is the leader of this Aurangzeb Fan club. This Fan Club cannot make Maharashtra and India safe. It's only the BJP that can ensure the safety and security of all," Shah said while addressing the gathering in Pune.
"Uddhav Thackeray shares his meals with people involved with Kasab, he supports PFI and stands against renaming Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar," he added.
Launching an attack on the Congress party, Shah said, "Many misconceptions were spread in the country, but we should not fall for their (opposition) misconceptions. They (the opposition) said that BJP will end reservation. I want to remind you all that it was under the leadership of Modi ji that reservation was extended."
"For decades, Congress ruled this country, but what did they do to uplift the poor? They cannot do garib kalyan," he added.
Shah accused Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Chandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar of "disabling" Maratha reservation whenever his party comes to power in the state.
Shah also vowed to continue the Maratha reservation in the state if voted to power.
"Whenever the BJP government comes to power in Maharashtra, Marathas get reservations, and whenever Sharad Pawar's government comes to power, Maratha reservation disappears. The Pawar government disables it whenever they get a chance. But I want to say that the 10-year extension was given only during the time of Modi Ji and despite having absolute majority, the work of strengthening reservation was done by our leader Modi Ji," he said.
"In 2014, under Devendra Fadnavis as the CM, you got the Maratha reservation. If you want to continue the Maratha reservation, you must make the BJP win," he added.
Shah further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked to provide 33 per cent reservation to women representatives in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas by bringing Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Highlighting the Lok Sabha election results, Shah said that the BJP won for the third time while the Congress party failed to breach the 240-mark.
"For the first time in 60 years, a leader has got the honour of taking oath as PM for the third time in the country. Our leader, Narendra Modi became PM for the third consecutive time... Who is sitting in the opposition?... I have seen many people becoming arrogant after winning... But Rahul Gandhi is giving a unique example to the world, he became arrogant after losing," he added.
"BJP got 240 seats, NDA got 300 seats and the entire INDI alliance did not even get 240 seats. Even if we combine the seats won by Congress in the past 3 elections, even then they can not breach the 240-seat mark. In this election also, the people of India gave Modi ji their stamp of approval. BJP stood victorious for the third consecutive time," he said.
"It's after 60 years that a Prime Minister has taken oath for the third consecutive term. It is only because of the able leadership of PM Modi ji. In Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections, we must strive to get a greater mandate than before!," he added.