Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024: Asaduddin Owaisi slams Devendra Fadnavis over 'vote jihad' remarks

Mumbai: As the Maharashtra poll campaign hits the crescendo, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP’s stalwart Devendra Fadnavis and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has locked horns taking the electoral temperature northwards. 

The AIMIM is contesting 16 seats in Maharashtra. 

Owaisi, who was in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, slammed the BJP leaders including Prime Minster Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, for comments like ‘ek hai to safe hai’ and ‘batage to katange’.

Owaisi also hit out at Fadnavis for the “vote jihad’ remarks. 

“….we are seeing that ‘vote jihad" had begun in poll-bound Maharashtra, which should be countered by “dharma-yuddha” of vote,” Fadnavis has said in Dhule. 

"Our ancestors did jihad against Britishers, not yours. Fadnavis, whose ancestors were writing love letters to the British, will teach us jihad? Modi, Shah and Fadnavis together cannot defeat me in a debate…from where did 'vote jihad and dharma-yuddha’ come in democracy? You purchased MLAs; should we call you a thief,” said Owaisi.

He went on to add further “our freedom fighters” did not negotiate with the foreign rulers. “When they fail to get votes, they call it jihad. They lost in Ayodhya. How did that happen,” asked Owaisi. 

When Fadnavis was asked about Owaisi’s comments, he retorted sharply. “Listen…they are the descendants of Razakars,” he said. “They are descendants of 'Razakars'. The 'Razakars' tortured the people of Marathwada, looted their lands, tried to rape women, destroyed families…with what face they will speak to us,” he said.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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