Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not need any “Baisakhi (crutches)” in Maharashtra and works on its own strength. The comment, as expected, has gathered strong political reactions ahead of local body elections on the state.
Amit Shah’s controversial remark
While addressing party workers after laying the foundation stone of the BJP’s new headquarters near Churchgate railway station in South Mumbai, Shah urged them to work harder to completely “wipe out” the Opposition in the upcoming local body polls.
“The BJP has to make its mark in panchayat, zilla parishad and municipal corporations. It should leave no scope for Opposition anywhere. The Opposition should not be seen even with help of binoculars… Maharashtra mein BJP party kisi baisakhi ke adhaar par nahi chalti. BJP apne balbute pe chalti hain (In Maharashtra, the BJP does not operate on crutches; it runs on its own strength),” Shah said.
Shah’s statement comes at a time when tensions are growing within the Mahayuti alliance, as many BJP district units have asked the state leadership to avoid pre-poll alliances with the Shiv Sena and the NCP in the local elections.
Row erupts over Shah’s ‘baisakhi’ remark
Reacting to Shah’s remarks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that “Amit Shah was speaking about the organisational strength and growth. It was not about ruling alliance partners. It was a message to the Opposition parties.” However, the Opposition parties were quick to react.
Launching a scathing attack on Shah, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray compared him to an “Anaconda” and “Abdali”. The fiery remarks came during a rally of party functionaries in Worli where Thackeray accused the BJP of attempting to “swallow” Mumbai through political manipulation and land grabbing, vowing to resist any such move. “Just like the anaconda that devours everything in its path, they want to gulp down Mumbai,” Thackeray said.
Amit Shah had also criticised the Congress and family-based dynasty politics, saying the BJP believes in performance, not dynasties. He pointed out that even grassroots workers can rise to top positions in the party, using himself as an example, and said that only those who deliver results are recognised in the BJP.
Thackeray in return questioned whether Amit Shah’s “son” Jay Shah became the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on merit. “Who elected him? Was it talent or his father’s power?” he asked, accusing the BJP of hypocrisy on the issue.
Recalling the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shah also said the BJP fought independently after ending its alliance with the Shiv Sena and still became the single largest party, with Devendra Fadnavis taking charge as Chief Minister. He noted that while the BJP once stood fourth in state politics, it now leads the political scene in Maharashtra.
Shah also said the party has achieved major ideological goals like the construction of the Ram temple and the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He added that the focus now is on building a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.