BJP a poison, needs to be removed: Kharge

MUMBAI: In a veiled attack on the BJP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday termed the party as “poison” and said that one cannot afford to taste it; it needs to be removed completely. The attack was launched at a party event organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi observed annually as ‘Sadbhavana Diwas’.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who also attended the event, indicated Congress is a better ally than BJP. He said that successive Congress governments never acted vindictively against them despite his father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray being the grand old party’s harshest critic, whereas BJP is trying to finish them off even after being an ally for so many years.
It was the first time that Thackeray attended a Congress event. He also wore a stole of the party when offered. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, too, attended the programme held at Shanmukhananda Auditorium on Tuesday. Congress had invited the presidents of both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), as both these parties are its allies in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
“BJP is like a poison. There is no need to taste it because we know the results. It needs to be removed completely,” Kharge said, slamming the ruling party. He insisted that a MVA government in Maharashtra is necessary if they want to prevent BJP from making an amendment in the Constitution. “We need a government in the state which also elects members from Rajya Sabha. If the people want BJP to stop making such a move, then they need to support us in the assembly elections,” he remarked.
He then gave examples of the amendment bill for waqf land and lateral entries on contract basis. “They withdrew the lateral entry decision because you are strong. If not, they would have recruited people from RSS background,” he claimed, adding, “The state assembly elections are equally important like the Lok Sabha elections.”
He was referring to the central government decision to cancel the lateral entry advertisement as per directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the government, the scheme was aimed at appointing specialists (including those from the private sector) in government departments.
Thackeray, on the other hand, said that it took them some time to realise the difference between Congress and BJP. “After understanding a person, we need to change ourselves. I have realised that they misused us and have now started weakening us. The difference between Rajiv ji (former PM Rajiv Gandhi) and them is clear,” Thackeray said.
He further pointed out that the Congress government never acted vindictively against the Shiv Sena though they have been part of the opposition. “Balasaheb (Thacekray) used to criticise Rajiv ji in the harshest words, but I have never seen ED (enforcement directorate), CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and Income Tax coming after any Shiv Sena worker,” he stressed.
He was referring to the investigation started by the central agencies against Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders such as Sanjay Raut. “You are out to finish the Shiv Sena through which you came to power; who supported you in difficult times. How can they be our friends?” he stated, referring to their three-decade alliance with BJP and the split in Shiv Sena.