The Shiv Sena (UBT) did not uphold the spirit of the alliance in Chandrapur, where it supported the BJP.
However, the Congress kept its word in the Parbhani mayoral election. In Parbhani, Shiv Sena (UBT) secured the mayor post while Congress secured the deputy mayor post, said Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshvardhan Sapkal.
Speaking to the media in Buldhana, Sapkal further said that the Congress did not believe in harbouring resentment or seeking revenge over the stand taken by Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation.
Despite having eight corporators in Chandrapur, Shiv Sena (UBT) voted for the BJP, which was politically wrong. Supporting such a move at the party level and attempting to malign the Congress amounts to “a thief crying foul”, he pointed out.
Sapkal went on to say that Congress leaders had held discussions with MP Sanjay Raut regarding Chandrapur, and were in constant touch with Shiv Sena (UBT). Despite this, he alleged that statements made by Raut and members of his party were inappropriate and not in keeping with alliance norms.
He also pointed out that the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is a friendly party of the Congress. When two of its corporators remained absent, the party expelled them and also took action against its city president. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) has taken no action and instead defended its stand: something the Congress will not tolerate.
Sapkal further declared that although there was a proposal for a Congress Mayor in Parbhani, the party does not believe in doing anything and everything merely for power.
“We kicked away power to uphold alliance dharma and stood by Shiv Sena (UBT). The developments in Chandrapur and Parbhani have made it clear that Shiv Sena (UBT) seeks Congress votes within the alliance but does not reciprocate,” he noted.