BJP bid to woo Sena hits shrine hurdle

Mumbai: The ongoing efforts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo Shiv Sena back into an alliance for the 2019 elections may hit a roadblock over a proposed shrine for Maratha king Shivaji.

BJP member of parliament Poonam Mahajan is the prime mover behind the shrine coming whose ‘bhoomipujan’ (groundbreaking ceremony) was performed on Sunday in the Bandra government colony, a Sena stronghold and the vicinity of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence.

“Shivaji Maharaj (emperor) does not belong to any one person or a party,” Ms Mahajan said without naming the Sena or Mr Thackeray. “I am blessed by the Shivaji Maharaj as the ‘mandir’ work is being done by me. Shivaji does not belong to any person or party. He belongs to the state.”

Ms Mahajan, who represents the North-Central constituency, has already started preparations for the upcoming elections, counting out an alliance with the Sena, according to political circles. She apparently got good support from the then alliance partner Sena in the 2014 elections. With Sena making known its intentions to go it alone in the next elections, she has stepped up the campaign in Sena’s strongholds.

Ms Mahajan claimed that the shrine would be the first one for the warrior king in Mumbai. BJP workers led by local leader Mahesh Parkar brought the soil and water for the ceremony from Raigad, which was the capital of the Maratha king.