Shiv Sena asks lower cadre party workers to prepare for the assembly polls if BJP quits alliance with it.
The seat sharing issue between the Shiv Sena and BJP is yet to be resolved as the latter is demanding more seats due to its impressive performance in the Lok Sabha election. Speculations are rife about both the parties contesting polls solo. Senior leaders from Shiv Sena have asked their low cadre party members to remain prepared for contesting all the 288 seats in Maharashtra.
Two days back in a meeting, party workers and MLC Madhu Chavan expressed their view and suggested the party to contest the polls single-handedly. The election isscheduled to be held in October. After Chavan’s comment three is strong indications that BJP-Sena alliance will part ways.
As of now, Shiv Sena is not planning to quit the alliance but had instructed its lower cadre party workers such as Shahka Pramukh (Branch head), District president and others to start preparations for the assembly polls. If BJP calls off the alliance with Shiv Sena then the party can go ahead and contest assembly polls without any hurdle.
Shiv Sena doesn’t want to sever ties with BJPas it might have an impact on the party’s poll performance. The saffron alliance had managed to bag 41 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
Shiv Sena lower cadreparty sources, said, “We received an instruction from our seniors to start preparing for the upcoming assembly polls, after our ally BJP hinted at fighting polls alone. We are ready for the polls.”
The Shiv Sena high command is tight lipped on the issue of split between the party and BJP. The party president Uddhav Thackeray is yet to comment about this issue.
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena spokesperson and Member of Parliament said,”One should not pay attention to rumours. Uddhavji has cordial relations with BJP senior leader Rajnath Singh.They will take a decision in this regard.”
In a party meeting, Madhu Chavan, spokesperson for state BJP had said thatthe party should go alone in the assembly elections. He said, “After performing well at the national level do we still need to be a ‘bonsai’ in the state?
BJP state President Devendra Fadnavis nonetheless try to downplay the statement issued by Chavan and said, “We have a 25-year-old association with the Shiv Sena. Just because we have formed government at the centre doesn’t mean we will desert them. They have been our friends through thick and thin.”
As per the old seat sharing formula, the Sena contests on 171 seats, while the BJP gets 117 seats out of 288. Following the Lok Sabha results, the BJP has been demanding more number of seats.
