MUMBAI: A tug-of-war over individual aspirations and alliance necessities seems to be straining the already fraught relationship between the Congress and Shiv Sena in the Maha Vikas Aghadi. This time, the tussle is over Shiv Sena’s attempt to rename Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar, a move that Congress opposes, saying it did feature on the common minimum agenda.
In the run-up to the polls, Shiv Sena had promised to rename Aurangabad. With municipal corporation elections shortly due, Shiv Sena is mulling ways to act on its word. However, Congress president and Revenue Minister in Thackeray cabinet Balasahab Thorat said that Shiv Sena cannot unilaterally take the decision. “Before drafting the common minimum agenda, we held extensive meetings. The agenda bears the signs of the top leaders of the three parties. It was decided that any new subject would be added after the signatories’ were satisfied. Renaming Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar is a subject Congress will oppose,” he added.
BJP has been raking up the issue by taking potshots at Shiv Sena. BJP’s Maharashtra president Chandrakant Patil said Shiv Sena has surrendered before the Congress. Congress countered Patil by saying that renaming a city did not solve its civic issues.
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