Aurangabad renaming: Thorat says Cong has a clear stand on the issue

While Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has been advocating the name change for over two decades, the Congress has always opposed it.

Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat on Friday said his party had a “permanent and clear stand” on the renaming of Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and this stand would be explained to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Balasaheb Thorat says Congress has always opposed renaming proposals. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

While Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has been advocating the name change for over two decades, the Congress has always opposed it.

When queried on the CM giving signals about renaming Aurangabad by stating that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb does not fit the concept of secularism, Thorat said, “The Congress has a permanent and clear stand on the renaming issue. I have been putting forth the same stand even now and I am sure we will explain our stand to the CM properly.” He said rifts were taking place because politics was being played over the renaming issue.

“To avoid that rift, the Congress always opposes such renaming proposals,” Thorat told reporters here, adding that the MVA government was working on a common minimum programme (CMP) and would continue doing so.