Quit Government before criticising Modi, BJP tells Thackeray

Mumbai, Feb 10 (IANS) The BJP's Maharashtra unit Tuesday advised ally Shiv Sena's chief Uddhav Thackeray to first quit the government before criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party president's Ashish Shelar's outburst came when media persons sought his reactions in the wake of Aam Aadmi Party's historic victory in Delhi assembly elections, and the praises lavished on it by Thackeray later.

"First quit the government which you got due to Modi wave, then criticize him... Modi is the tallest leader of the BJP and we will not tolerate any criticism of him," said Shelar in response to Thackeray's unabashed praises on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal whose victory he termed as a "tsunami which was greater than a wave".

Thackeray took more potshots at BJP leaders and also openly endorsed Gandhian Anna Hazare's view that the Delhi result was "a decacle for Modi" which has irritated the Maharashtra BJP.

The Sena chief added that he had spoken and congratulated Kejriwal on the historic victory in which AAP bagged 67 out of Delhi's 70 assembly seats.

"If I am invited to attend his swearing-in ceremony, I don't see any reason for not going," a jovial Thackeray said in a media interaction.

Adding fuel to the fire, the Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Nawab Malik Tuesday urged Shiv Sena to quit the state government in wake of the negative vote against BJP in Delhi.

"It is clear that without Shiv Sena, BJP cannot muster enough numbers, and other parties will not support it. If there are elections, NCP is fully prepared," Malik declared.

He said if the Sena really had courage, they should quit the government and NCP would support the party (Sena) in bringing down the BJP ministry.

Meanwhile, most BJP leaders preferred to keep mum on the stunning Delhi verdict.