After AIMIM’s remarkable success in Maharashtra municipal polls, party chief Asaduddin Owaisi took a swipe at Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, saying that the BJP was slowly melting away his political ice. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena suffered setbacks in the local body elections in the state, while Owaisi’s AIMIM bagged 125 seats.
While thanking the voters and his party men for AIMIM’s success, the party chief and Hyderabad MP ruled out any alliance with the BJP or NDA. He also took a dig at other parties, who often target the AIMIM as the BJP’s ‘B’ team. “If the BJP-NDA won, the other parties that lost should indulge in some introspection. Those parties who abuse us should think about themselves. It is the decision of the people. There is a saying in English that victory has many fathers, defeat has none. As far as the voter list is concerned, it was correct in this election. We verified it,” said Owaisi. He also said that several candidates belonging to SC, ST and Dalit communities have won the election on the AIMIM ticket.
Asked about the Thackeray brothers who joined hands for this election, Owaisi further said, “The verdict is before everyone. It also shows that in the ward where Eknath Shinde resides, Uddhav Thackeray’s corporator has won.” AIMIM has won more seats than the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP and MNS led by Raj Thackeray. Owaisi also took a dig at Shinde’s waning influence, comparing him with the ice gola. “I am telling Eknath Shinde that his ice is melting. Your ice is being melted by those (BJP) with whom you have allied,” the Hyderabad MP said. He also said his party would diligently take part in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise in Telangana, which is expected to begin soon.