Amid dialogue, Shiv Sena to show strength to BJP

Mumbai: While talks for an alliance between Sena and BJP has started for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Shiv Sena has already decided to show its strength to its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and that too on two occasions. The first will be on the birth anniversary of party founder Bal Thackeray on January 23, while the second will be at a grand meeting of party leaders on January 26.

The January 23 event will be held at Rangsharda in Bandra or Shanmukhanand in Matunga. The party expects leaders from all across the state to turn up and pay their respects to the leader at this event. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is also expected to speak at the event. Meanwhile, BJP and Sena will be holding talks on the alliance and its possibilities. BJP has even announced a team of leaders that will be doing the brainstorming, including deciding on manifesto and candidates for the elections.

If there is no finality on the alliance till January 26, the Sena will announce what has to be done and these meetings will help them show their strength. The January 26 meeting at Goregaon’s exhibition centre is of all the 227 ward heads, where both Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray are expected to have a direct talk with the leaders.

“We are hoping that by then alliance talks are finalised and if not, then we will open our cards soon. The event are personal events, especially that of Saheb’s birthday,” said a leader from Shiv Sena. BJP is holding meetings on the alliance with its own leaders on January 17, 18 and 19, where it will finalise on the candidates and manifesto for the BMC elections.