 "Shiv Sena rules out alliance with AIMIM, terms it BJP's 'B team'")
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday dismissed the possibility of an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), terming it BJP's "B team".
Speaking to media persons here today, the Shiv Sena MP said, "Uddhav Thackeray in his meeting with party MPs and district presidents today said that Shiv Sena will not ally with AIMIM. He added that AIMIM is BJP's 'B team'."
Ratu earlier also rejected the suggestion of AIMIM's alliance with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), saying those who bow before the grave of Aurangzeb cannot become Maharashtra's ideal.
"Our party was formed on the values of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj and would continue with the same values. Why would we form an alliance with a party which bows down at Aurangzeb's grave?. How can you even think of that?" Raut said on Saturday.
"Maharashtra government is formed by three parties, Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. There will be no inclusion of any fourth party," Raut had also said.
This comes after AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel said that AIMIM is willing to enter into an alliance with Congress and the NCP in the upcoming Maharashtra civic polls in order to defeat BJP.
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"AIMIM is always held responsible for BJP's victory, it is said that we are 'B' team of BJP, so we gave them (Congress) an offer to form an alliance with us. Since they are with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, they'll never agree to form an alliance with us," Jaleel said yesterday.
Notably, civic body polls are slated for later this year. Assembly polls in the state will be held in 2024.