'Which is real B team of BJP?': Asaduddin Owaisi targets Congress over Ashok Chavan's exit

Asaduddin Owaisi. File Pic

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said Congress leader Ashok Chavan joining the BJP sheds light on the "real team of RSS and the B team of BJP", reported news agency PTI.

Addressing a public meeting in Akola city of Maharashtra, the Hyderabad MP also referred to the speculation over Congress veteran Kamal Nath jumping ship to join the BJP, reported PTI.

Asaduddin Owaisi targets Congress: 'Muslims in India are duty-bound to protect mosques'

He said Muslims in India are duty-bound to protect mosques and they should think that the Babri masjid "still exists", reported PTI.

Targeting the RSS, Owaisi said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not "anti-Muslim" but the Sangh tries to portray him as "anti-Islam", reported PTI.

"Ashok Chavan quit Congress to join BJP. I heard Kamal Nath may follow suit. AIMIM was once called the B team of BJP. Now tell me, which is the real team of the RSS? Which is the real team of the BJP?" he asked, reported PTI.

We should recognise the snakes in our society who are threatening us in the name of secularism, he added.

Asaduddin Owaisi targets Congress: 'Ajit Pawar is fielding his wife against Supriya Sule'

He also took potshots at NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

"I have heard that he (Ajit Pawar) is fielding his wife against his sister (Supriya Sule). What's happening in the politics of Maharashtra?" Owaisi asked, reported PTI.

He said it is the duty of Muslims to protect masjids, and we will never forget this duty.

"Muslims should never forget December 6, 1992. They should keep in mind that Babri Masjid still exists and will remain so, otherwise another Babri (incident) will happen. Muslims should remember Babri like Jews remember the Holocaust," he added, reported PTI.

Owaisi claimed the representation of Muslim members in the Lok Sabha should go up in the 2024 elections and set AIMIM a target of winning 4 seats from Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, reported PTI.

In the 2019 general elections, AIMIM won the Aurangabad (later renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) Lok Sabha constituency from Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel said that he is keen to contest from Mumbai in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as it will help AIMIM expand its presence in other areas, reported news agency PTI.

Jaleel, who won from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (earlier Aurangabad) in 2019, told a news channel that AIMIM is often labelled as the 'B team of BJP' but so many people (from other parties) are "now sitting on its lap", reported PTI.

"We are confident of winning in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Then why should we not try to spread our base in other areas," he said, expressing his wish to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai, reported PTI.

"I'll discuss my (Mumbai) plan with party chief Asaduddin Owaisi when we meet in Akola on February 18," he said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)