AIMIM is the A-Team of BJP:Oppn

Nagpur: The brief but controversial proposal for a BJP-AIMIM alliance in Akot has handed rival parties fresh ammunition to revive long-standing allegations that the two outfits have been tacitly aligned in the electoral arena. For years, AIMIM has been dubbed the BJP's ‘B-Team' by parties across the ideological divide, and the Akot episode has once again reignited the debate."Forget B-Team, now we will have to say AIMIM is the A-Team of BJP," said former state home minister Anil Deshmukh. The NCP (SP) leader said the public proposal for an alliance between the two parties had "exposed" what he described as a deeper conspiracy. "We have been saying this for a long time — AIMIM helps the saffron party by cutting into secular votes. The Akot incident confirms our claim," Deshmukh said.Former Nagpur guardian minister and Congress MLA Nitin Raut said BJP and AIMIM shared a symbiotic relationship. "They help each other at every step. When they clash in public, voters get polarised and secular parties suffer in elections," Raut said. He added that Akot should serve as an eye-opener for the public. "BJP keeps shouting that Hindus are in danger, yet shakes hands with those it calls rivals. This shows it is not Hinduism, but Hindustan that is in danger. Democracy itself is at risk because of such dirty politics," he said.The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) said the Akot episode should now be debated nationwide. Former BSP corporator Gautam Patil said, "Earlier, BSP was labelled the BJP's B-Team. But now it is clear that AIMIM and BJP are two sides of the same coin. Wherever BJP faces a tough fight against BSP or Congress, AIMIM enters the fray and indirectly helps BJP."