AIMIM offers to join hands with MVA 'to defeat BJP' in Maharashtra assembly polls

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is keen to join hands with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra with an aim to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that is currently ruling the state along with two other parties, former MP Imtiaz Jaleel has said.

Jaleel, who is the AIMIM's state unit president, was talking to Marathi news channel ABP Majha after a meeting of the party in Mumbai.

Replying to a query, he said, "We had said this during the Lok Sabha elections and we are giving an offer to the MVA again to join hands as we want to defeat the BJP. But it is up to them whether to include us in the alliance or not." "If they (MVA parties) take us along, it will be beneficial for them. If not, we are ready to move ahead alone...If they think we have some power and have a vote bank, then they will ask us, otherwise they will not," Jaleel added.

When asked if the AIMIM does not have any issue with MVA constituent Shiv Sena (UBT), he said, "The BJP has damaged the country, so we want to keep them away from the government by any means." He, however, refused to forge an alliance with the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).

Targeting the Mahayuti government's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, he said, "After so many years Chief Minister Eknath Shinde realised that he has so many sisters in the state. Now after providing financial assistance to women, those in power are openly asking people to vote for them (Mahayuti)...It shows that there is no love for the sisters. It is just a deal."

This is a result of the shock the ruling alliance received in the Lok Sabha elections, the former Lok Sabha member added.

Assembly elections in the state are likely to be held in October-November this year.

In the Lok Sabha polls held a few months back, the MVA won 31 out of the 48 parliamentary seats in the state, while the ruling alliance could bag only 17.