I do not like BJP with Shinde, Ajit: Mungantiwar stirs controversy

“I like the party which believes and is committed to the services to the nation. Joining hands with anybody does not make any difference. We are blamed for breaking parties, but it is not that we broke the parties. Vibhishan cannot be blamed for parting ways with his own brother Ravan, to side with Lord Ram (based on ideology),” he said

Mumbai: “I do not like the BJP that has gone with (CM) Shinde, nor do I like the BJP which has joined hands with (Dy CM) Ajit Pawar,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Thursday, stirring yet another controversy within the ruling party.

The senior BJP leader’s remarks led to the controversy in the backdrop of rumours that there are differences between the three ruling parties (Shiv Sena, BJP, NCP). “The remarks were surprising as they came from a senior BJP leader in the backdrop of the rising instances of the differences between the three ruling parties. It is also seen as an indication of the unrest within BJP and its loyalist leaders,” a BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

The leader said that he likes the BJP which is committed to serving the country.

Mungantiwar, while speaking to the media in Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad) was replying to a question related to the party’s ideology after forming the government with two other parties. “I like the party which believes and is committed to the services to the nation. Joining hands with anybody does not make any difference. We are blamed for breaking parties, but it is not that we broke the parties. Vibhishan cannot be blamed for parting ways with his own brother Ravan, to side with Lord Ram (based on ideology),” he said.

The senior BJP leader’s remarks led to the controversy in the backdrop of rumours that there are differences between the three ruling parties (Shiv Sena, BJP, NCP). “The remarks were surprising as they came from a senior BJP leader in the backdrop of the rising instances of the differences between the three ruling parties. It is also seen as an indication of the unrest within BJP and its loyalist leaders,” a BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity.

Mungantiwar, however, later clarified his stand and claimed that his words were being twisted. “I said that I do not like person-oriented politics. And I like any party that believes in the ideology and is not dependent on the politics of any person. I think this is the difference between us and the opposition parties. Our party is marching ahead very strongly under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi,” he said.