Uddhav-Thackeray led- Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to set up a laboratory of riots in Maharashtra to disturb social peace and polarise voters.
Maybe they want to fight elections by dividing the society, just like they broke the Shiv Sena to form government in Maharashtra, an editorial in the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana said referring to the split in the Sena last year following which Eknath Shinde became the CM with the BJP's support.
The people of the state need to be alert as they are surrounded by those who crave for power by side-stepping the Constitution, national unity and religious coexistence, the Marathi publication claimed.
Maharashtra witnessed communal clashes on Saturday and Sunday in Akola city and Shevgaon village in Ahmednagar district, respectively, in which one person was killed and 13 others injured.
Some issues can be resolved through understanding, but it looks like they want to fight elections by dividing the society, just like the Shiv Sena was broken to form government, the Marathi daily said.