Need AIMIM in fray to win Aurangabad, says BJP leader

Union minister Raosaheb Danve has caused a flutter by saying if the Bharatiya Janata Party needs victory in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra in 2024, then it must ensure that All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen leader and sitting MP Imtiaz Jaleel contests the election next year.

Speaking to reporters on Monday after attending a meeting at the district collectorate in Aurangabad, Danve claimed the BJP would win the next elections with a greater margin than before.

Queried about the political scenario in the Aurangabad LS constituency, Danve said, "We have a different type of friendship with Imtiaz Jaleel. Whether it is (BJP leader) Bhagwat Karad or someone else, we will have to ensure that our candidate wins in 2024 and we need to make sure Jaleel contests that election."

Notably, Jaleel was also present when Danve made these remarks.

Danve's remarks come days after his colleague Bhagwat Karad said the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena must let the BJP field its candidate from the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat as the split in the undivided Shiv Sena had weakened the party.

The Aurangabad constituency was traditionally represented by Shiv Sena (undivided). However, in 2019, Jaleel won his maiden electoral contest from here by defeating his nearest rival and Sena veteran Chandrakant Khaire.

Danve, who represents the Jalna Lok Sabha seat in the Marathwada region, took a swipe at the opposition INDIA bloc, saying many of its constituent parties once shared power with the BJP.

"Some leaders in the INDIA alliance were with BJP at some point in time. (BSP chief) Mayawati was a two-time chief minister while the Dy CM was of BJP in that government (in Uttar Pradesh). (National Conference leader) Farooq Abdullah's son (Omar Abdullah), (TMC chief) Mamata Banerjee were ministers in the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government," the minister of state for railways said.

Danve also said JD-U's Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of Bihar even though his party had less number of seats than its former ally BJP.

"Members of (late) Jayalalithaa's party (AIADMK) were with us earlier, so was Sharad Pawar in 1985. As politics changed, they (INDIA members) are criticising us now," he added.