Amit Shah’s ultimatum to Shiv Sena for 2019 tieup

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Wednesday urged Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for the alliance in the 2019 elections in a two hrs marathon meeting at Matoshree - residence of Mr Thackeray. According to sources, Mr Thackeray raised issues against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Shah and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s decision-making process and how his party is often not taken in confidence.

However, Mr Shah is very confident about the alliance in 2019 elections and he tried to resolve all the grievances of Mr Thackeray, a senior BJP functionary said. "The meeting was very positive and the tension in the relations have reduced.”

Shah reached Matoshree at around 7.30 pm and after formal chat, both the leaders had a closed-door meeting. Though Shiv Sena has declared to go solo in the elections, Mr Shah urged Mr Thackeray for an alliance.

Congress and other opposition parties are coming together against BJP-led NDA and to counter them, the BJP is trying to woo the NDA allies.

Mr Thackeray and member of Parliament Sanjay Raut have always criticized Union and state government’s policies and BJP’s leadership over the treatment meted out to the Sena and other NDA allies. BJP never bothered about its allies in last four years. Mr Thackeray raised these points during the meeting and told Mr Shah, the details about his decision of going solo in upcoming elections.

Shiv Sena has been against Nanar green refinery and bullet train projects. It had raised various public interests issues, which were totally ignored by the Union and state government because of which public opinion is going against the government, Mr Thackeray told Mr. Shah who tried to convince him on various issues.

Shiv Sena sources revealed that, “Nothing has been decided in the meeting with Mr Shah. Shiv Sena may not change its decision of fighting solo in the upcoming elections, though Shah has given the proposal of alliance.”