Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked party leaders to be ready for pressure tactics by the BJP after the presidential election on July 17. He has asked party leaders across the State to submit reports on preparedness against trouble by the BJP, especially in civic bodies where the Sena is in power. The BJP had gone to great lengths to ensure support by NDA allies for its presidential candidate, Ram Nath Kovind.
Speaking at a meeting of Sena leaders, Mr. Thackeray said Mumbai will be the BJP’s prime target. The party has called a special meeting of city corporators, MLAs and MPs on Friday to discuss organisational issues and prepare for ‘trouble.’
Things have returned to a tenuous normalcy after relations between the Sena and BJP were stretched in the run-up to the BMC polls, with the BJP avoiding rubbing the Sena the wrong way before the presidential polls. Though the Sena will support Mr. Kovind for President, it is clearly unwilling to bet that the bonhomie will continue after July 17.
On the other hand, the Sena has criticised the BJP on issues ranging from farm loan waivers issue to beef-related lynchings. In an editorial on Tuesday, party mouthpiece Saamana welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tough stand against self-proclaimed gau rakshaks and has demanded that the BJP come out with a national policy on beef for Goa, Kerala, West Bengal and northeast States.
A senior Sena leader said, “Mumbai is going to be the target. The BMC administration will be questioned in the monsoon session, and allegations of corruption and other wrongdoings will be made to trouble us. We know it and are prepared for it.”
