Maharashtra News: AIMIM ready to join hands with MVA to defeat BJP in assembly polls, says Imtiaz Jaleel

Maharashtra News: The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is is keen to join hands with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming elections, party leader Imtiaz Jaleel has said.

Jaleel, a former MP of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, said this while speaking with Marathi news channel ABP Majha after a meeting of the party in Mumbai. Jaleel is also AIMIM's state unit president.

"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," Jaleel was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The MVA coalition comprises of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP - Sharad Pawar and the Congress party. Owaisi, and AIMIM, have always been critical of Congress party and Shiv Sena, hence Jaleel's remarks assume significance.

"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 said.

AIMIM has also been opposed to Shiv Sena. 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.”

The MVA is up against the rulingMahayuti Allianceof the BJP, Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde and NCP-Ajit Pawar in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.

The tenure of the 288-memberMaharashtra legislative assemblytenure of the current government ends on November 26, 2024 which means a new government has to be sworn in before that.

Jaleel also targeted the Mahayuti government's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme. “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.

The MVA won 31 out of the 48 parliamentary seats in the state, while the ruling alliance could bag only 17 in the Lok Sabha polls 2024.

(With PTI inputs)