Fearing poaching by BJP, Shiv Sena to move corporators to undisclosed location

Mumbai: Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena on Thursday said the saffron party should come forward and speak on its alliance in the BMC rather than making such statements.

"Who is allying with the Congress? The BJP says the one who is going with the Congress is indecent. So, does joining hands with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir is equal to being pure?" Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI.

"BJP does not have the right to make such statements. Today politics is extremely polluted, as everyone is busy playing the blame game," he added.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has begun preparation to herd all its corporators to an undisclosed location, said reports.

The move is said to be underway to ensure that the BJP does not poach any of its corporators, to swell its ranks and reach the majority mark of 114 following the BMC polls.

The party also held a meeting of its senior ministers to chart out its political strategy, in case the relationship between the two parties deteriorate further.

The Sena was alarmed after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the political situation in the state, reports said.

Taking a jibe at Fadnavis over his statement that the BJP would never join hands with the Congress, Raut on Monday said it is strange that the saffron party can enter into an alliance with the PDP, which called a terrorist like Afzal Guru as martyr.

"The BJP has allied with Mehbooba Mufti's PDP, which called a terrorist like Afzal Guru as freedom fighter and martyr, but, is facing problem in entering into an alliance with the Congress under whose governance Afzal Guru was sentenced to be hanged for being a terrorist," Raut told ANI.

His response came after Fadnavis said the BJP won't enter into an alliance with the Congress at any point or at any cost.

"Whoever wants to go with them can go, the BJP won't say a single word," he said.

The Shiv Sena won 84 seats in the BMC polls, while the BJP won 80. 114 seats are needed for a majority.