Rajya Sabha election 2022: BJP calls AIMIM's support to MVA 'alliance of appeasement'

After Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM declared its support to Congress in the Rajya Sabha election, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday slammed the grand old party and MVA allies, asserting that it is an alliance of politics for them. 

Taking to his Twitter, BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi after AIMIM's announcement of backing MVA in the Rajya Sabha polls. Terming the AIMIM's support to Congress 'alliance of appeasement,' Poonawalla said, "Congress claims to be secular & Rahul Gandhi says I’m Janedudhari ! But they are more than happy to take support from AIMIM that eulogises Aurangzeb who destroyed Mandirs.. from a party that has openly insulted Hindu Gods (Akbar Owaisi speech)."

Adding further, Shehzad Poonwalla stated that the grand old party always accused AIMIM of being a "B-team" of BJP, but in reality, the Owaisi-led party is an "A-team" of MVA allies. "Congress & Ilk always accused AIMIM to be B team of BJP but in reality, AIMIM is the A TEAM of Shiv Sena, Congress & NCP It has always been an Alliance of Appeasement for them," he added in his tweet. "Perhaps AIMIM is rewarding “New Shiv Sena” for going soft on Aurangzeb eulogising Akbaruddin," Poonwalla further said.

AIMIM to back MVA candidate in Maharashtra 

Confirming its support for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Maharashtra Rajya Sabha elections, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM announced on Friday that its MLAs will vote for Congress candidate Imran Pratapgarhi. AIMIM MP from Maharashtra's Aurangabad, Imtiaz Jaleel tweeted the decision just hours before the polling. It is pertinent to note that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has two MLAs in the 288-member strong Maharashtra assembly.

"To defeat the BJP, our party (AIMIM) has decided to vote for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Our political/ideological differences, however, will continue with the Shiv Sena, which is a partner in the MVA along with Congress and the NCP,” Jaleel said in the tweet.

Notably, on Thursday, Jaleel had a series of meetings with MVA leaders. In the evening, he met Shivsena MP Hemant Patil and also attended a dinner hosted by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, for the NCP MLAs. The meeting came after AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi was approached by MVA leaders for discussion in relation to the Rajya Sabha polls. 

Maharashtra Rajya Sabha election 2022

After more than two decades, Maharashtra will witness a contest in the Rajya Sabha polls as there are seven candidates in the fray for six Rajya Sabha seats. The polling process will start at 9 am and end at 4 pm.

Union minister Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde, Dhananjay Mahadik (BJP), Praful Patel (NCP), Sanjay Raut, Sanjay Pawar (Shiv Sena), and Imran Pratapgarhi (Congress) are in the fray for the six seats. The contest is for the sixth seat - between BJP's Mahadik and Sena's Pawar.

Both MVA parties and BJP are banking on the 25 additional votes of smaller parties and independents for the sixth seat. Notably, there are three ministers in the cabinet from smaller parties and independents.