Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, a day after the BJP swept the Northern state of Uttar Pradesh, took a swipe at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati and All India All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and said that both of them should be awarded a Padma Vibhushan or Bharat Ratna for their “contribution” in BJP’s victory.
“BJP achieved a great victory. UP was their state, still, Akhilesh Yadav’s seats have increased 3 times, from 42 to over 125. Mayawati and Owaisi have contributed to BJP’s win, so they must be given Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna,” Mr Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
BJP achieved a great victory. UP was their state, still, Akhilesh Yadav’s seats have increased 3 times, from 42 to over 125. Mayawati & Owaisi have contributed to BJP’s win, so they must be given Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut#ElectionResults2022 pic.twitter.com/1p8LLiluG7
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022
The Shiv Sena leader, who has been vocal in his criticism of central agencies in recent times, highlighted the fact that despite the BJP’s win in four states, its chief minister in Uttarakhand lost, two Deputy Chief Ministers in Goa faced defeat and the party was “rejected completely” in Punjab.
“The PM, Home Minister, Defence Minister, everyone campaigned tremendously in Punjab, then why did you lose in Punjab? UP, Uttarakhand, Goa were yours already, which is fine. But, you have lost more in Punjab as compared to Congress and Shiv Sena in UP,” the Sena MP said.
Mayawati’s BSP and Owaisi’s AIMIM have often been accused by the opposition parties of being a “B” team of the BJP and dividing opposition votes to help the saffron party win elections. Both parties have denied the allegations on several occassions.
Mayawati, in her first reaction following yesterday’s results in which the BSP managed to win only one seat, slammed media platforms for spreading the falsehood that the BSP was the BJP’s “B-team” and stressed that only her party can defeat the BJP.
Owaisi, on the other hand, said he respects the decision of the public and added that the minorities in Uttar Pradesh were “used as vote banks”.
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