DDCA row: BJP must listen to its allies at times, says Sena

The Shiv Sena on Saturday asserted that so far as the DDCA row is concerned, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley was suffering the backlash of supporting AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal during the latter’s anti-corruption movement. It also advised the BJP to listen to its ally at times, referring to the fact that Sena had opposed any sort of support to Kejriwal then.

“We remember the time when Anna Hazare and Kejriwal company was creating chaos against Congress government at Ramlila ground (in Delhi). At that time, Kejriwal was garnering praise by leveling absurd allegations against the Congress leadership. There was a tug of war (between political parties) to support Kejriwal’s hooliganism,” the Sena said an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

The Sena claimed that the BJP was at the forefront of this tug of war then and Jaitley along with others asked Sena to support Kejriwal as well, to which it did not oblige.

“We did not support Kejriwal then. We politely advised the BJP to not support Kejriwal’s demonic attitude or it may backfire one day. Jaitley is now bearing the brunt of this support. Hazare is not with Kejriwal and he has challenged Jaitley. The lesson learnt from this episode is that you (the BJP) should listen to (ally) Sena at times as well. We may not be very clever but we have a few lessons in our books as well,” the Sena said.

It further said while Kejriwal has to be respected as he has become the chief minister through a democratically elected government, the language used by him against the Prime Minister and Jaitley is akin to that of a roadside rowdy.

“Kejriwal has denigrated the post of Chief Minster while venting out his frustration, which is incorrect,” Sena said.

Jaitely, who headed the DDCA for 13 years till 2013, is under fire over alleged irregularities at the cricket body during his tenure.