The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday said the BJP's attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led party over making Syed Iqbal, a Muslim, the mayor of Parbhani reflects its mental bankruptcy. In an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana, the party said the BJP does not have a problem in actor Salman Khan sitting next to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief but has issues if a Marathi speaking Muslim and "loyalist Shiv Sainik" becomes mayor of Parbhani.

The editorial was referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's interaction here with personalities from different walks of life last week. Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Syed Iqbal was recently elected the mayor of Parbhani City Municipal Corporation, making it the first time the party has chosen a Muslim to head any city corporation.