Shiv Sena accuses BJP of politicising Pulwama terror attack as seat-sharing agreement finalised

In a scathing editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Shiv Sena on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exploiting the Pulwama terror attack for political gains.

“By appealing to people to vote for the BJP to seek revenge for the Pulwama attack is akin to taking political mileage out of the death of our soldiers. It needs to answer why the issue has not been resolved in the last four and half years,” said the editorial.

The editorial further questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attacks on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government when the BJP was in opposition.

“It is not the time to blame anyone. Though it is time to stand behind the government and soldiers to boost their morale, the people have not forgotten something even if the government has forgotten,” it added.

The commentary, incidentally, appeared on the same day when the two parties finalised a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls, in presence of BJP chief Amit Shah among others

BJP President Amit Shah and Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi and other senior leaders from both sides, made the announcement at a joint media briefing late this evening.

Announcing the alliance formula, Fadnavis had said the BJP will contest 25 and the Sena 23 of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In the 288-member Assembly, after finalising the share of other alliance partners, the two parties shall contest in the ratio of 50:50 for the remaining seats.