Nagpur | Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Monday said his party and ally Shiv Sena (UBT) have different political ideologies and asserted the Opposition bloc's common minimum programme has no mention of late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.
Patole's comments came after the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', took strong exception to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's latest criticism of Savarkar, saying “insulting” the Hindutva ideologue will reduce sympathy for the disqualified Lok Sabha MP.
Asked about Saamana's criticism of Gandhi for his "I am not Savarkar to apologise" remarks made after his disqualification, Patole, while avoiding a direct reply, told reporters in Nagpur that the Congress's ideology is to take everyone together.
"It is the Congress which got freedom for the country and worked on the basis of the Constitution. Hence, coming to power or not being in power is secondary... principles are important for the Congress," he said.
Asked whether the Savarkar issue could affect the unity of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Patole said the alliance was formed following discussions with senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and all decisions in the three-party coalition are taken at the highest level.
The Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are constituents of the MVA along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The MPCC president said the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) follow different ideologies.
"The Congress is the oldest party in the country and everyone knows about its ideology. What they (Shiv Sena-UBT) say is their prerogative," Patole said.
He said Savarkar was not a subject matter under the MVA's common minimum programme arrived at by the three constituents.
The Opposition MLA said the Congress takes along all sections of society and works in the interest of the nation.
