Quit government before criticising Modi, BJP tells Thackeray

Mumbai, February 10: The BJP’s Maharashtra unit on Tuesday advised ally Shiv Se’s chief Uddhav Thackeray to first quit the government before criticizing Prime Minister rendra Modi. Mumbai Bharatiya Jata 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 ubashed praises on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal whose victory he termed as a “tsumi which was greater than a wave”. Thackeray took more potshots at BJP leaders and also openly endorsed Gandhian An Hazare’s view that the Delhi result was “a decacle for Modi” which has irritated the Maharashtra BJP. The Se 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 tiolist Congress Party spokesperson wab Malik Tuesday urged Shiv Se to quit the state government in wake of the negative vote against BJP in Delhi  (IANS)