Don’t blame us for your mess: Sena UBT rebuffs Mallikarjun Kharge

Infighting in the Congress has now threatened ally Shiv Sena UBTrsquos high stakes in the Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra where every Muslim vote counts for the Opposition blocrsquos nominees The explanation the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has given for not fielding Arif Naseem Khan in Mumbai North Central has led to the Thackeray Sena issuing a strong rebuttal because it has been blamed for Khanrsquos displacement Shiv Sena UBT said it had no business interfering in Congressrsquos affairs adding the ally could still name Khan because it had three more days to file nominationsThreat to perceptionWhat triggered unrest in Sena UBT was Khargersquos statement that while deciding on a candidate in alliance the allyrsquos views had to be considered The senior leader had said at a rally in Assam on Sunday ldquoThere is no question of no Muslim candidate There we have a threeparty alliance Three parties have taken a decision together So one canrsquot say someone was denied a ticket We will compensate him Khan Misunderstanding happens sometimes He is a good worker and fighter People also ask him why he didnrsquot get the ticket We will see what can be done in the futurerdquo he said adding ldquoWhen three parties form an alliance we have to select candidates according to itrdquoSanjay Raut Shiv Sena UBTInterpretation of statementThe statement has been interpreted as Khargersquos admission that the Sena leadership had made Congress replace Khan with Varsha Gaikwad The interpretation has been widely circulated to the chagrin of the Sena which has much at stake in Muslimsensitive seats including four in the city Senarsquos breakup with BJP and subsequent MVA formation somewhat changed the Muslim perception of the Sena The Congress also seemed to have accepted the Sena pull especially in Mumbai where it conceded more seats to the ally That perception feared damage because of the Congress presidents revelation that Sena opposed MuslimsPreviously former Congress leader Milind Deora had alleged that the Congress high command did not press for Mumbai South Central in seatsharing talks because Uddhav Thackeray had asked that Gaikwad not be fielded from there Later Gaikwad was shifted to North CentralCongress and Thackeray Sena have been at loggerheads over the Sangli seat where rebellion by a Congress leader has made things difficult for SenaMVArsquos nominee Congress seem to be tacitly supporting the rebel group because Thackeray didnrsquot withdraw despite repeated requests and negotiations The Congress hasnrsquot taken disciplinary action against the Sangli rebel but his counterpart in neighbouring Kolhapur was suspended immediatelylsquoDidnrsquot oppose MuslimrsquoThackeray Senas spokesperson Sanjay Raut held a press conference on Monday morning to clarify his partys and Uddhav Thackerays stand ldquoCongress president Kharge said in Assam on Sunday that Naseem Khan was interested in North Central but since he is a Muslim some of our alliance partners opposed his candidature saying that things would be difficultThe selection of the North Central candidate was purely a Congress subject We had no reason to tell them who should be their candidate It is wrong if someone says directly or indirectly that we opposed a Muslim candidate The Congress still has an opportunity to change the candidaterdquo he saidldquoWhen Mumbais Muslim community stands with us Thackeray Sena in our fight against the BJPs dictatorship we have no reason to oppose Naseem Khan who enjoys cordial relations with us Khan is a good candidate The Congress will have to deciderdquo he addedCongress leaders meetAs midday reported on Monday the senior four of the Congress the partyrsquos Rajya Sabha MP Chandrakant Handore state treasurer Dr Amarjitsinh Manhas MLC and former city president Bhai Jagtap and former minister Suresh Shetty met here again on Monday at MCA BKC to chart the further course They share Khanrsquos concern