Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday announced that it would go solo in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The party passed a resolution at its national convention to this effect and also stated that it would contest in every state on the Hindutva card so as to expand its base. The Sena’s stand is significant as it leaves the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without an important alliance partner before the polls. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray used the opportunity to slam Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, it is not yet clear if the Sena will continue with BJP in power, as the polls have not yet been announced.
After the announcement, finance minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar called up Uddhav Thackeray. The details of the call are not known, but sources said the BJP wanted to discuss the Sena’s announcement earlier in the day. Reacting to the issue, BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar said that even his party was ready to go alone.
At the convention, party MP Sanjay Raut moved the resolution for the Shiv Sena to fight the Lok Sabha and Assembly Sabha polls on its own in 2019. This was passed unanimously. He said the party would win at least 25 Lok Sabha seats (of 48 in Maharashtra) and 150 Assembly seats (of 288) in the state.
Supporting the resolution, Mr Thackeray said, “What is wrong in contesting polls with your own strength. Even Pramod Mahajan used to speak about going alone during Balasaheb’s period. Start preparing for polls and get me the truth from the citizens. …. The Sena will contest in every state for Hindutva, irrespective of our win or loss.”
The Sena chief, who was re-elected as party president on Tuesday, slammed Mr Modi for not keeping promises. “If killing of cow is a sin, then lying is also a sin and should be banned. Send the people who have lied to jail.”
Mr Thackeray also took up the issue of Pakistan. “Today, we do not know if the country is going forward or backward. The environment in the country is such that Pakistan has become an election issue. The neighbouring country was also brought in for Gujarat elections... there is no co-relation between the two,” he said, adding, “People are saying you came to power by indulging in scams. The Army does not have just a 56-inch chest, but has valour as well.”
