NCP questions Sena tie-up with BJP despite its Vidarbha line

The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) accused the Shiv Sena of "double standards" on the issue of smaller states and demanded why it is in alliance with the BJP, which advocates the creation of a separate state of Vidarbha.

Addressing a press conference here today, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had pledged his support for a "united" Andhra Pradesh after Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu met him yesterday.

"If Uddhav supports a united Andhra Pradesh, then why is he supporting a party which is against a united Maharashtra and even wants a separate state of Vidarbha carved out of Maharashtra," he questioned.

Malik said that Maharashtra BJP president Devendra Fadnavis had flagged off a cycle rally in support of separate statehood for the Vidarbha region.

Referring to Aseemanand's claims to a magazine about an alleged RSS hand in some bomb blasts, Malik said that the Centre should probe these claims and take action if there is any truth.