Shiv Sena to go solo despite Shah meet

Mumbai: BJP president Amit Shah’s efforts to woo estranged NDA ally Shiv Sena may prove futile as the latter has reiterated its desire to fight the upcoming elections alone. The Sena’s assertion came a day after the saffron party’s leader met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.

Sena spokesperson and Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut, on Thursday morning, said, “The meeting between Mr Shah and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray won’t change the decision taken in the national committee meeting to fight upcoming elections solo.”

Mr Shah tried to convince Mr Thackeray but he was not satisfied. “If Mr Shah wants to come again for consultation, our doors are open,” said Shiv Sena sources.

Mr Shah had termed the interaction as “routine affairs”, so the Sena is treating it as just that, Mr Raut said.

After a marathon meeting between Mr Shah and Mr Thackeray, which lasted for two hours at the Matoshree, the residence of Mr Thackeray on Wednesday evening, BJP leaders were hoping for the revival of alliance with the Sena. Senior BJP leaders revealed that the tension between the two parties was reduced and the fate of the alliance would be decided in the
next two-three meetings.

However, Sena leaders gave conflicting signals. Mr Raut said, “We know the agenda of Amit Shah. But there wouldn’t be any change in the decision of the party to fight solo.”

In 2014, the BJP broke the alliance with the Sena after winning Lok Sabha elections. Now to win the Sena’s trust, the BJP is trying to woo them, however, in the process, they have portrayed the former as an adamant ally.

Meanwhile, the Sena has prepared a counter strategy to convince people and workers about the BJP’s intention to damage them, which they almost did in 2014.

After facing defeat in recent bypolls and with a change in atmosphere against the BJP, they are trying for an alliance and wooing NDA allies, revealed Sena sources.

Mr Thackeray expressed dissatisfaction over the BJP’s stand on demonetisation, land acquisition law, Nanar refinery and bullet train projects and on many other issues over which the Sena was never consulted. Also, Sena was given less important portfolios in the Union and state governments, though they are an old ally in the NDA.