Mumbai, Jul 9 (IANS): The Maharashtra Congress on Saturday challenged the claims of a ruling ally Shiv Sena's leader that after the recent split in the Nationalist Congress Party, even the state Congress will break up. 

"Traitors will only see others as 'turncoats'. There are no backstabbers in the Congress. We are fully united and stand strong," said state Congress president Nana Patole.

He was referring to a Shiv Sena leader, Gulabrao Patil's contention that certain Congress MLAs were allegedly in touch with his party and may switch sides soon.

Rubbishing the claims, Patole said that the Shiv Sena and NCP leaders are clearly reading the script given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Politics of breaking and destroying parties is going on in Maharashtra with the backing of the BJP from New Delhi. Now, even (Deputy CM) Ajit Pawar is using the same language as (Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde did when he revolted (June 2022) and split the Shiv Sena," said Patole.

He assured that despite the canards being spread to confuse the people, nobody from the Congress will quit "as there are no back-stabbers in our party". He slammed the BJP for trying to scare the Opposition and breaking up their parties with full force and help from investigating agencies.

"The common masses are tired of this style of BJP politics. The BJP is not getting support from many places so they are resorting to splitting parties and grabbing their leaders," said Patole.

On the contrary, he said the Congress will not be cowed down and shall continue to raise the issues of the ordinary masses like inflation, unemployment, youth, farmers, etc., in the monsoon sessions of the parliament and state legislature.