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Published 21:35 IST, September 18th 2019

Owaisi alleges BJP-Sena fighting Maharashtra polls on 'communal angle'

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi alleged BJP and its ally Shiv Sena wants the coming Maharashtra assembly elections to be fought on "communal angle".

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All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday alleged ruling BJP and its ally Shiv Sena wants the coming Maharashtra assembly elections to be fought on "communal angle" as they have 'failed' in employment generation and stopping job losses. He was replying to a question from reporters in Hyderabad about the reported comments of Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray that the NDA government would take steps to build a Ram temple at Ayodhya soon.

"They (BJP, Shiv Sena) have failed in employing the youth of this country, they have failed in stopping laying off employees in thousands, that's why they want these Maharashtra elections to be fought with a communal angle," he said.

READ | Owaisi says 'tell this to SC' on Sena seeking speedy Ayodhya verdict

Owaisi also hit out at the Shiv Sena leader for "making comments" on the Ayodhya issue when the matter was before the Supreme Court.

"Who is he, how does he know that the judgment is going to come in his favour? What is it that he knows and we don't know? What is that the NDA and BJP knows, the nation does not know," the Hyderabad MP asked.

The Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) made its debut in the Maharashtra Assembly in the last assembly elections winning the Aurangabad Central and Byculla seats, defeating Shiv Sena and BJP nominees respectively. AIMIM had then fielded 24 candidates in the poll for the 288-member assembly. The party has already announced some candidates for the coming polls in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Assembly elections are due to happen in October this year. The Election Commission of India is yet to announce poll dates for Maharashtra.

READ | Ayodhya mediation back; Asaduddin Owaisi questions on confidentiality

AIMIM attacks Shiv Sena on Twitter

Taking to Twitter, AIMIM took a dig at Shiv Sena and asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led party to hire fact-checkers.

READ | Owaisi unimpressed by Trump attending 'Howdy Modi', cites trade issues

READ | Asif Bhamla joins the BJP ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections

Updated 22:30 IST, September 18th 2019

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