New Delhi, June 22 -- Congress leader Tariq Anwar on Monday compared the prevailing political realignments to a "livestock market," alleging that the BJP is using power and financial influence to attract lawmakers in states where it does not have a popular mandate, after six Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MPs joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Speaking to ANI, Anwar said that if Uddhav Thackrey is able to convince the people that the ongoing "trend" of defections is actually a long-standing BJP-sponsored strategy to weaken the democracy of the country, then the trend may end.

"This trend has been going on for several years now. Markets for MLAs and MPs are being set up much like livestoc...