Congress calls BJP, Shiv Sena tie-up for Lok Sabha polls 'unholy', says it will benefit grand alliance

Mumbai: The Congress Tuesday termed the BJP and Shiv Sena's alliance for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls as "unholy", pointing out that they had openly levelled allegations of corruption against each other in the past.

"The alliance, announced by the two parties on Monday despite their strained relations, came as a disappointment to Shiv Sena workers," Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant claimed.

"It is an unholy alliance...The Shiv Sena had become helpless and desperate for forging ties...the anti-Modi mask (of the Sena leadership) has fallen off," Sawant told reporters in Mumbai.

Amit Shah flanked by Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis during the announcement of an alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP. PTI

"The Sena and BJP coming together will benefit the grand alliance the Congress is building with other like-minded parties such as the NCP," he claimed.

"They have come out with a film of betrayal (of people). So we will try to get Oscar nominations for the chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) and (Shiv Sena president) Uddhav Thackeray for acting," Sawant said.

"Fadnavis had once alleged that Mumbai's development suffered during the Sena's rule in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)," the Congress leader said.

He also asked if the Ram temple has been built at Ayodhya, as demanded by the Sena earlier.

"The chief minister had announced a probe into the allocation of plots of land in the Thane Municipal Corporation (during the Shiv Sena's rule). When would this matter be probed?" the Congress leader asked.

The BJP had also alleged that "mafia raj" prevailed in the Sena-controlled BMC, he said, asking "has the mafia raj come to an end now?"

The Shiv Sena and BJP Monday announced they would contest the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections together.