BJP will back Sena if Cong-NCP quit govt over Muslim quota, says Sudhir Mungantiwar

Amid the speculation of a rift among the allies of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over the implementation of 5 percent Muslim quota in education, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said his party will support Shiv-Sena if the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress pulls out of the alliance.

Mungantiwar's statement came after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that no decision has been taken on quota for backward Muslims in education as he had not received any such proposal. He said the decision on the matter is yet to be taken.

Asked about Thackeray's statement, the BJP leader said: "I think Uddhav Ji has taken a very good stand. Our alliance with the Sena was based on ideology. The Sena should not worry if the Congress and NCP are pressurizing it on the issue."

"Even if they leave the government, we will support the government within the limits of this subject," he added.

The former Maharashtra finance minister asserted that the Constitution does not provide for reservation based on religion.

"Why reservation is to be given on the basis of religion...what is the crime of Sikhs and Christians? The Union government has already carved out a 10 percent quota for the economically backward classes which covers Muslims and Christians too," he said.

Thackeray said: "No proposal has come to me regarding Muslim reservation. We will check its validity once it comes to us. We have not taken any decision yet on it."

"The Shiv Sena has not clarified its position yet. Let us see when the proposal comes up," he added.