Sena not a religion-based party, BJP spoiled it: NCP leader Nawab Malik

Stating that Shiv Sena was not a religion-based party and originated to serve and fight for the rights of the people of Maharashtra, senior NCP leader Nawab Malik on Tuesday said allying with the BJP had "spoiled" the party.

Addressing media persons after Devendra Fadnavis stepped down from the chief minister's post, Malik said that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine will form the government in the state and will last for a long time.

"Let me make it clear that Shiv Sena was not formed for religion-based politics. When the Shiv Sena was formed, it was formed in the interests of Maharashtra and to fight for the people of the state," he said.

"BJP had spoiled it (Shiv Sena)," he said, adding that the next government will follow the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Refuting doubts by BJP that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress had cobbled to form an unstable alliance, the NCP leader said: "Be it Fadnavis ji or leaders in Delhi, they have been claiming that this government will not be stable."

The NCP leader said, "There will be no discrimination based on religion, language or region in this government".

"Our alliance (NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress) will last for a long time. This is the start of BJP's end, BJP has become very arrogant," he added reiterating what Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray said during a show of strength of the MLAs of the combine on Monday evening at a five-star hotel here.

He also termed as a "victory of democracy", today's Supreme Court's interim order following which Devendra Fadnavis resigned as chief minister and Ajit Pawar as his deputy.

"The Supreme Court order demolished BJP's intentions to muster up the requisite numbers for the floor test through horse-trading. The BJP realised that it could not save the government through money power that is why the chief minister resigned. This is a victory of the state," he said.

Malik said the NCP chief Sharad Pawar has directed the party leaders to elect Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as the leader of the combine.

"We will elect Uddhav ji as our leader. After being elected, he will meet the Governor to stake a claim. A government of NCP-Congress and Shiv Sena will soon be in place in Maharashtra," he said.