Thackeray says people’s courage needs to be recognised in the five-state election results.
Mumbai: Taking a swipe at BJP, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday said voters have rejected those they did not want and lauded their “courage” for showing the way forward to the country.
In a statement, Thackeray said, “I congratulate the courage of the voters who did not think about the useless question of who would be the choice (to the ruling parties in five states).”
“They (voters) did not think about EVMs, distribution of money, hooliganism or who would be the alternative to all of this, but rejected those they did not want. True courage is not worrying about future. The courage of voters has shown the country the way forward,” he said.
“While political parties keep winning and losing elections and the winner should be congratulated, people’s courage needs to be recognised in the elections to these five states,” said Thackeray, whose party is an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
BJP and Shiv Sena are in an alliance at the Centre and in Maharashtra assembly.
Shiv Sena could demand 50% seat sharing
Buoyed by the BJP’s dismal performance in the Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, Shiv Sena is likely to demand at least 50 per cent of seats in the event of the two bickering saffron parties opting for an alliance.
A senior Sena leader, requesting anonymity, said party chief Uddhav Thackeray, with his Ram temple pitch, had already started a “parallel movement” to expand its base across the country.
“Apart from the Ram temple issue, there is a lot of resentment among people against the BJP government. Bad policies, issues like demonetisation, bad implementation of GST has hurt traders and middle class citizens,” the source claimed.
The source added that the BJP’s dismal performance in the assembly polls had corroborated the Sena’s stand on growing dissent among people.
When asked for a reaction, Sena legislator Anil Parab said Thackeray has already decided to go solo in all upcoming polls.
“Nobody, except Uddhav ji can confirm if his decision on an alliance with the BJP will change,” he said.
The source further said, “The Sena and BJP realise it would be hard to win the upcoming polls if both parties fight separately, especially because the Congress and the NCP have confirmed their alliance. However, for our alliance to happen, it is most likely that the BJP will have to part with 50 per cent of the seats in the state.”
Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe, however, said the party president had publicly announced his decision of not forging an alliance with the BJP and, thus, the question of seat sharing talks with the BJP does not arise. – PTI
It would be harakiri for the SS to go it alone, also for the BJP, for that matter. If it wants 50% of the seats, that is an issue best discussed behind closed doors. This constant public vitriol against governments in Bombay and Delhi of which it is a part goes against coalition dharma. It lowers the esteem in which such governments are held by the public, which has given a clear indication of its changed mood just yesterday. The SS should not end up drilling too many holes in the bottom of the boat it will be boarding a few months from now.