Samajwadi Party decides to exit MVA after Babri demolition post by Uddhav aide

Announcement was made by SP MLA Abu Azmi after a local newspaper published an advertisement congratulating those involved in Babri Masjid demolition

PTI

Mumbai, Updated At : 09:12 PM Dec 07, 2024 IST

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav during a press conference in Lucknow. PTI file

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced its departure from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an opposition alliance in Maharashtra, following a post from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) that praised the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.

This move comes from the Samajwadi Party, which has two members in the 288-member strong Maharashtra Assembly, and has been facing criticism for its alignment with the alliance.

The impact of the SP’s exit is expected to be minimal for the MVA, which suffered a significant defeat in the recent Assembly elections, securing only 50 out of 288 seats. Nevertheless, this development reflects ongoing discontent among regional parties within the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

Political analysts feel that while the SP’s exit is unlikely to harm the MVA directly due to its limited presence in the state, it could be a strategic move ahead of upcoming civic body elections.

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar said Samajwadi Party’s central leadership is firm on Opposition unity.

The announcement was made by SP MLA Abu Azmi after a local newspaper published an advertisement congratulating those involved in the Babri Masjid demolition. Additionally, a post by a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray, MLC Milind Narvekar, celebrated the act, further aggravating tensions.

“We are quitting the MVA. I am speaking to (Samajwadi Party president) Akhilesh Yadav,” Azmi told PTI.

Expressing displeasure, Azmi said, “If anyone in the MVA speaks such language, what is the difference between the BJP and them? Why should we stay with them?”

He criticised the reopening of old wounds, emphasising that no one has been held accountable for the mosque’s demolition and said “The Congress has to decide whether it can ally with someone who speaks like this”.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav responded to the criticism, questioning the Samajwadi Party’s realisation of Shiv Sena’s stance after 31 years. He accused the SP of leaning toward the ruling coalition.

In response to the SP’s departure, senior Congress leader Nitin Raut said, “We will discuss with the Samajwadi Party about its decision and understand what the problem is.” The Samajwadi Party’s decision also highlights the broader tensions within the national INDIA bloc, which has seen increasing dissatisfaction from various regional parties.

This follows recent comments from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who expressed her intent to take a more prominent role within the alliance amid electoral setbacks for the Congress in other states including Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and now Maharashtra.