Nirupam says no truck with MNS for 2019 polls

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam today ruled out any alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for 2019 polls, days after party chief Raj Thackeray called for a united opposition for "Modi-mukt Bharat".

Addressing a press conference here, Nirupam said the Congress would never align with a party that believes in divisive politics.

"There is a vast difference between the ideologies of the Congress and the MNS. The MNS always tried to divide the people on the basis of language and culture.

"Raj Thackeray issues threats. His party workers vandalise shops of innocent Mumbaikars, inconvenience commuters and none of this is done for betterment of the city," he said, adding that people of Maharashtra have already denied the MNS.

The Congress leader also condemned MNS workers' act of vandalising Gujarati signboards in city and neighbouring Vasai on Monday, hours after Thackeray gave a clarion call for "Modi-mukt Bharat".

Nirupam said Mumbai has become "unsafe" because of the "violent tactics" being adopted by the MNS. "This is an internal terrorism," he said.