Congress, Shiv Sena in Twitter spat over renaming Aurangabad

This picture has been used for representational purpose

In response to the Congress's objection to the Shiv Sena's aggressive stance over renaming Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar, CM Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday that Aurangzeb wasn't secular.

The CM's Twitter handle mentioned Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar on two consecutive days inviting state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat's ire on Twitter. Thorat had said Aurangabad was the city's official name and hence the government department handling the CM's media relations must also mention it officially.

Before the Twitter rattle came up ahead of Aurangabad's municipal polls, the renaming battle has been played out between the Sena and the ‘secular' Congress who are partners in the MVA. The Sena-BJP's first government had renamed Aurangabad in the 90s but the subsequent Congress-led government had scrapped it. The demand for renaming surfaced again after the Sena assumed leadership in the MVA. The BJP has added fuel to the fire by raking up the demand.

Thackeray said what he and his party were doing (proposal to rename) was as per the party founder Bal Thackeray's agenda. The Sena has been in power in Aurangabad for the past three decades. It will make another run for power this year.