Despite Modi’s snub, Thackeray hopeful of alliance

Sena chief says no tension with BJP, seat shares to be announced in two-three days

Making a point: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a press conference in Mumbai on Friday.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even mention the Shiv Sena in his speech at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rally in Nashik, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the two parties would contest the Assembly polls together and announce the seat-sharing arrangement in two to three days.

“The seat-sharing formula was decided at the time of the Lok Sabha elections between three of us [Mr. Thackeray, BJP president Amit Shah and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis]. We are firm on that. The announcement of the alliance will be made soon,” Mr. Thackeray told the media. He said there is no tension between both the parties.

Mr. Shah will be in Mumbai on Sunday, and a decision on the alliance is likely to be taken then.

The Sena chief said it was he who had requested the Chief Minister to prepare a list of candidates. “I told him that after getting the list from him, I will discuss with my leaders and a final decision will be taken,” he said, adding that his earlier statement on this was not sarcastic. “It was the media which spread reports that both parties will contest 135 seats each,” he said.

Reacting to Mr. Modi’s comment on the stable government in the last five years, the Sena chief said his party did not betray the BJP. “The BJP did not have a majority. We supported the government without backstabbing it. I am happy that the Sena has been a part of State’s development in these years,” he said.

Commenting on the proposal to remove trees in Aarey colony for a Metro car shed, on which the Sena and BJP appear to have locked horns, Mr. Thackeray said the party’s opposition was not to development or the Metro project. “Our opposition to cutting trees in Aarey is based on facts,” he said.

Reacting to Mr. Fadnavis’s statement that the government could reconsider scrapping the refinery project in Nanar, the Sena chief said if decisions are retracted in such a manner then people will stop trusting the government.

Going on the defensive after Mr. Modi’s taunt at certain ‘ badbole ’ (loudmouth) leaders talking about the Ram temple, Mr. Thackeray said he isn’t making comments, but only voicing the sentiments of the Hindus. “Of course, we have trust in the judiciary. This case has been in courts for many years. That’s why I visited Ayodhya. If possible, I may visit Ayodhya again before the Assembly polls. If the PM is saying we should wait for the court order, then it is absolutely right,” he said.