Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Aug 20: BJP MLA Ram Kadam launched a scathing attack on the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance, ridiculing the Thackeray brothers, Uddhav and Raj, for their poor performance in the BEST Employees’ Cooperative Credit Society elections, where the alliance failed to win a single seat out of 21.
“This is what happens when the Thackeray brothers come together — zero,” Kadam told IANS. “People want development, not drama. Under Devendra Fadnavis' leadership, Maharashtra has progressed. The MahaYuti will continue to win because it works.”
The credit society polls, representing employees of Mumbai’s public transport utility, were seen as a litmus test for the emerging alliance between Uddhav Thackeray’s faction and Raj Thackeray’s MNS. The defeat has fueled criticism from the BJP, which is aiming to consolidate its hold in the state ahead of upcoming elections.
Kadam didn't stop at state politics. He also took a swipe at the INDIA Bloc’s nomination of former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its vice-presidential candidate, calling the move "symbolic" and politically futile.
“The Vice President's post is a matter of dignity, not just numbers. The Opposition knows their candidate will lose. If they had chosen not to contest, it would have sent a message of unity on constitutional matters. Instead, they chose petty politics again,” said Kadam.
On the national front, C.P. Radhakrishnan, the NDA's official candidate, filed his nomination for the Vice-Presidential election earlier in the day, marking the formal start of the electoral process.
Kadam also addressed a shocking incident from Delhi, where Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance session at her Civil Lines residence. The assailant, identified as 41-year-old Rajesh from Rajkot, reportedly injured Gupta’s head and hand before being arrested.
“I strongly condemn the attack,” Kadam stated. “It’s disturbing and demands a thorough investigation. Who was behind it? Was there a larger conspiracy? The truth must come out, and justice must prevail.”
Delhi ministers claimed the attacker had been lurking around Gupta's home for over 24 hours, raising concerns over her security and prompting calls for a deeper probe.
From local electoral defeats to national opposition strategies and security lapses, Kadam’s statements touched multiple flashpoints in India's evolving political landscape, highlighting the BJP's aggressive posture ahead of upcoming state and national elections.