Sena favouring CAB won't affect Maharashtra's common minimum programme: NCP

A day after Shiv Sena voted in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday said that the 'common minimum programme' of 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' in Maharashtra will not get affected due to the contrasting ideologies of the alliance partners.

Speaking to ANI over Shiv Sena's support to the contentious CAB, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "Shiv Sena has a different ideology. The Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra has formed an alliance on the basis of a common minimum programme (CMP), which will not get affected due to the difference in our ideologies."

"We will deliver all the promises made in CMP without any religious differences. People have to understand that every party has a different view but all will work with dedication for Maharashtra," he added.

The common minimum programme of the Maha Vikas Aghadi promises complete farm loan waiver, 80 per cent reservation in jobs for locals, among others.

The NCP leader further said that he believes that Home Minister Amit Shah, who has said that Indian Muslims have no reason to fear from the CAB, will fulfil all his promises.

Clearing its stand on the CAB in the parliament, the Shiv Sena on Monday had said if the intention of the bill was to "create a vote bank" then it is not good for the country.

The party supported the bill but suggested to not give voting rights for new citizens for 25 years.

The Bill, which seeks to give citizenship to refugees from the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zorastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday.

Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship Bill with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voted.

In Rajya Sabha, the Modi government requires the support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member house.

Being asked about a meeting of BJP leader Eknath Khadse and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Malik said that the meeting was not political. "It was all about farmers and agrarian crisis in Maharashtra," he said.

He said that Pawar will today meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the same issue.