Riots being instigated in Maha to stop Muslim votes from shifting towards MVA: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Khaire

Aurangabad: Leader and former MP Chandrakant Khaire on Monday claimed riots were being instigated in Maharashtra to stop Muslim votes from shifting towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Khaire's comments came two days after a clash between members of two communities in Akola city over a social media post which claimed one person's life and left eight others injured.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed (to win) in the Karnataka Assembly polls despite its 'Bajrangbali' pitch.

"We worship Bajrangbali (Lord Hanuman) and he is with us. Earlier, when there was an MVA government under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, there was no communal tension in the state. But now, since the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition has come to power, communal tensions are taking place," Khaire claimed while talking to reporters.

"This is being instigated to create a rift among Hindus and Muslims. The Muslim votes are shifting towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Hindus and Muslims are coming together. To stop this, such violence is being instigated as part of politics and preparation for the Lok Sabha polls (due next year)," he said.

The former Lok Sabha member from Aurangabad, without taking any name, also alleged that BJP leaders were behind the agitation (in March) of AIMIM parliamentarian Imtiaz Jaleel, to protest the renaming of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

"BJP leaders made Imtiaz Jaleel sit on the agitation and oppose the renaming of Aurangabad. The violence which took place later (in Kiradpura area) was an outcome of this," Khaire claimed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve claimed the present government in Maharashtra was purposely fuelling such kind of riots.

"This (violence) was also seen in other parts of the country earlier. The motive behind the Shevgaon violence (in Ahmednagar) should also be checked. Riots happen when the BJP is in power in Maharashtra," claimed the leader the opposition in the state Legislative Council.