Surprised that Nitin Gadkari is excluded in BJP's LS candidates list, but includes Kripashankar Singh: Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray. File pic

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Udhhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the BJP's policy of undermining other political parties is not sustainable. Thackeray, without directly naming the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remarked, "The politics of dismantling opposition parties will not endure."

Former chief minister of Maharashtra and former BJP ally, Thackeray expressed surprise that senior leader like Nitin Gadkari's name was not mentioned in the first list of the BJP's Lok Sabha candidates. The list however, includes candidature of Kripashankar Singh, previously accused of money laundering, he pointed.

Referring to the list, he highlighted his past collaboration with Union minister Gadkari, who had expedited the completion of the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

Kripashankar Singh, who had faced allegations of financial misconduct, is nominated to contest from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Singh also met Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday at his official residence after his name was announced through the Lok Sabha candidature list released by BJP on Saturday. However, the BJP has not released its candidates for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

Singh in the past has led the Mumbai Congress and served as a Minister of State for Home. He parted ways with the Congress in 2019 and joined the BJP in 2021.

Notably, Thackeray is part of the since Maha Vikas Aghadi formed in 2019 in Maharashtra, which includes Congress. The MVA consists of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

Singh has dismissed the remarks made by Thacekeray and questioned the political credibility of someone without their own party. "I don't take remarks of a person who doesn't have a political party of his own and did attend office at the Mantralaya for even two- and-half days in his tenure of 2.5 years as chief minister, he told PTI.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut targeted Maharashtra's Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) over Singh's inclusion in the BJP list. Raut pointed out Fadnavis's earlier claims about prosecuting leaders like Ajit Pawar and Kripashankar Singh, raising doubts about the BJP's governance standards.

Meanwhile, the MVA is yet to decide seat sharing in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) who looked forward for alliance with MVA, has declared that it is ready to field its candidate at 46 seats, since Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are currently engaged in a tussle over seat-sharing, Ambedkar told media recently.

Raut, however, emphasised the unity between MVA and VBA workers to counter the BJP prevents.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest in the country, after Uttar Pradesh which has 48 seats.

(With inputs from PTI)