'Uddhav belongs to Aurangzeb fan club': Amit Shah launches scathing attack on MVA, Uddhav Thackeray

In a fiery rally in Dhule, Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, branding it as the “Aurangzeb fan club” and accusing Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray of abandoning the principles upheld by his father, Bal Thackeray. Shah claimed Thackeray’s alliance with Congress and NCP leaders compromises his party’s values by aligning with those who opposed pivotal issues, including the Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya.

“The Aghadi only wants appeasement,” Shah declared, asserting that “Uddhav ji has forgotten all the principles of Balasaheb Thackeray.” Shah questioned Thackeray's association with parties that have resisted initiatives like the renaming of Aurangabad, the Ram Temple project, the abrogation of Article 370, and the 2016 surgical strikes against Pakistan. “Maharashtra’s people have two clear choices,” Shah continued, “the Aghadi, which I call the Aurangzeb fan club, or the Mahayuti, which follows the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar.”

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (UBT), is set to face off against the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) alliance in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20. Shah positioned the Mahayuti as a force for “vikas” (development) and MVA as a symbol of “vinash” (destruction), urging voters to choose a party committed to progress.

Shah further touted India’s economic rise under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the country’s position has elevated from the 11th largest economy under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the 5th largest. “By 2027, India’s economy will be the world’s third largest,” he asserted, dismissing the MVA’s promises as “false.”

Shah also took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, referencing recent demands from Muslim leaders for reservations. “Rahul Baba, even if your fourth generation comes, Muslims will not receive reservations meant for SCs, STs, and OBCs,” Shah said, adding that quotas for these groups are constitutionally protected.

With the Maharashtra assembly election just days away, Shah’s remarks highlighted the BJP's focus on ideological positioning, projecting itself as the guardian of cultural and nationalist values in opposition to the MVA’s alleged stance on appeasement.