Samajwadi party to end alliance with MVA over Babri remarks, says Abu Azmi

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced its decision to withdraw from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, citing the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s alleged shift towards a "Hindutva agenda." SP Maharashtra chief and MLA Abu Azmi made the announcement on Saturday, following remarks and social media posts by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders regarding the Babri mosque demolition.

Azmi claimed the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s recent actions, including a post by Milind Narvekar, an aide to Uddhav Thackeray, celebrating the Babri mosque demolition, were intolerable. "An advertisement was given by Shiv Sena (UBT) in a newspaper congratulating those who demolished Babri masjid. His (Uddhav Thackeray) aide has also posted on X hailing the demolition of the mosque," Azmi stated.

The Samajwadi Party, which has two MLAs in Maharashtra, expressed frustration with a lack of coordination during the MVA’s seat-sharing discussions and election campaigns. Azmi alleged that after the MVA’s defeat in the Maharashtra assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray directed his party to adopt a more aggressive Hindutva stance.

Speaking to reporters, Azmi said, "We cannot tolerate this Hindutva narrative. If anyone in the MVA speaks such language, what is the difference between the BJP and them? Why should we stay with them?" He added that he was consulting Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on the formalities of exiting the alliance.

The controversy began when Narvekar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, posted images of the Babri mosque demolition alongside quotes from Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, including the statement, "I am proud of those who did this." The post also featured images of Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray, fueling tensions within the alliance.

The MVA, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was formed as an anti-BJP coalition. The SP’s exit marks another fracture in the Opposition's efforts to consolidate against the BJP, raising questions about the alliance's future in Maharashtra.