Fadnavis dubs MVA infighting over Aurangabad's name change as civic polls-induced 'drama'

On Tuesday, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis dubbed the current faceoff between Shiv Sena and Congress over the renaming of Aurangabad as a "drama". Speaking to the media, the BJP leader alleged that this was an attempt by the two parties to appease their respective voters ahead of the civic polls in the city. While the election to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was due in 2020, it was delayed owing to the COVID-19 crisis.

AMC Commissioner Astik Kumar Pandey has been functioning as the civic body's administrator since the end of its 5-year term. In 2015, Shiv Sena managed to get its member elected as the Mayor in Aurangabad as it was in an alliance with BJP. Lashing out at Sena and Congress' "fixed match", Fadnavis contended that neither of these parties was serious about their stance on renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar. 

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "This is a drama company. Shiv Sena and Congress are doing this because the election is approaching. Shiv Sena said that it wants to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar as it feels that its voters will become happy. Congress is saying that you (Shiv Sena) should not do this as it feels that its voters will become happy. This is a fixed match because of the impending elections. There is no seriousness. I feel that drama is unfolding."

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War of words between Congress and Sena

On December 31, 2020, Maharashtra Congress president and state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat declared that his party will oppose any proposal to rename Aurangabad. He maintained that this issue does not find a mention in the MVA's Common Minimum Programme. In a veiled dig at the Sena, Thorat added that the life of the common person cannot be improved by changing the names of cities.

Subsequently, Shiv Sena attempted to downplay the rift within the MVA. Addressing the media, Sena MP Sanjay Raut mentioned that changing Aurangabad's name was a mere formality as party founder Balasaheb Thackeray had himself renamed it to Sambhajinagar many years ago. At the same time, he stressed that the three-party alliance in Maharashtra would mutually resolve this issue. 

Read: Renaming Row: Aurangabad Was Also Called Khadki, Fatehnagar

'Sambhajinagar' demand

Aurangabad was a prominent Mughal city in the Deccan region and derives its name from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was tortured to death by Aurangzeb. In 1995, a proposal was passed in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to rename the city as Sambhajinagar.

However, it was challenged by Congress corporator Mushtaq Ahmed in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court. As his plea was rejected by the HC, Ahmed moved the Supreme Court which stayed the process of renaming the city. The renaming of Aurangabad has been Shiv Sena's longstanding demand. 

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