Mumbai: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced its decision to withdraw from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance over the Shiv Sena UBT's stance on the Babri Masjid demolition.
Maharashtra SP chief Abu Azmi on Saturday made the announcement, marking a major shift in the state’s political landscape. This development follows a controversial social media post by Milind Narvekar, a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray, which sparked widespread criticism recently.
On Friday, Narvekar shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) featuring photos of Balasaheb Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray, along with his own. The post quoted Balasaheb’s statement praising Karsewaks for the Babri Masjid demolition, stating, "The ones who did this, I am proud of them."
This post quickly gained traction, raising speculation about whether the Shiv Sena UBT might align with the BJP and go back to their hard Hindutva stance. The move drew sharp criticism, particularly from MVA allies, who questioned the Shiv Sena UBT’s commitment to secularism.
SP MLA from Bhiwandi Rais Shaikh took to X to condemn the post, calling it an unwarranted glorification of "a dark day in India’s history." He pointed out that the Shiv Sena UBT had gained enormous support from secular voters in recent elections and accused the party of abandoning its principles.
Actor Swara Bhasker's husband and NCP-SP candidate Fahad Ahmad who contested in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, also criticised the post, accusing the Shiv Sena (UBT) of resorting to communal tactics and failing to control its cadre. He described the celebration of the Babri Masjid demolition as a “victory of mob violence over constitutional values.”
Historically, Balasaheb Thackeray played a pivotal role in the Ram Temple movement, with the BJP often attributing responsibility for the Babri Masjid demolition to him. According to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, Thackeray openly accepted this responsibility during the events of 1992.
