NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chaand distanced the national leadership from Maharashtra SP chief Abu Asim Azmi’s remarks hours after Azmi announced the party’s intention to sever ties with the MVA, citing an advertisement and social media posts by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders celebrating Babri mosque’s demolition.
Highlighting that the final decision rests with party chief Akhilesh Yadav, SP leader Fakhrul Hasan Chaand said, “Abu Asim Azmi is a senior leader of Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra, but it is upon the national leadership to decide about the party’s alliance with others.”
Earlier on Saturday, Maharashtra SP chief Abu Asim Azmi announced that the party will cut ties with the MVA over the advertisement made by the Shiv Sena (UBT) with a picture of the Babri Masjid and Balasaheb Thackeray, expressing solidarity with the Babri masjid demolition.
Azmi said, “Samajwadi Party was, is and will always be against communalism. SP leaves Maha Vikas Aghadi because of Shiv Sena (UBT)”
“An advertisement was given by Shiv Sena (UBT) in a newspaper congratulating those who demolished Babri masjid. His [Uddhav Thackeray’s] aide has also posted on X hailing the demolition of the mosque,” Azmi told news agency PTI.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the alliance, Azmi said, “If anyone in the MVA speaks such language, what is the difference between the BJP and them? Why should we stay with them?”
Azmi also said that he is in discussions with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav regarding the party’s future in the coalition.
Azmi’s comments followed a social media post by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar, which included a photograph of the Babri Masjid demolition and a quote from Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray: “I am proud of those who did this.” The post also featured images of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray, prompting Azmi to question the ideological alignment within the MVA.
The MVA, an alliance of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has faced increasing challenges following its defeat in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance dominated the polls, securing 230 out of 288 seats. In contrast, the MVA managed just 46 seats, with the Congress contributing a mere 16 to the tally.