Shiv Sena Slams BJP, Says 'Golden Era' Only For Party, Not For India

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena today asked the BJP whether it needs its allies, while cautioning the party against losing sight of issues across the country during its march to rule from Panchayat to Parliament. "While it is good and encouraging to think of the party's rule in every state, the BJP should clarify its policy towards 33 constituents of the NDA for which a dinner was hosted (by Prime Minister Narendra Modi) recently.

"Parties like Sena, Akali Dal and TDP are standing strong in their respective states. There should be clarity on whether our friendship is needed (by the BJP)," Shiv Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. It said the BJP may continue moving towards the fulfillment of its mission of ruling from Panchayat to Parliament.

"But those who speak against them should not be termed as anti-nationals or else whatever is left of democracy will also be lost," it said.

"Every political party has the right to expand itself but in a country as vast as India, the party in power is also responsible to give strength to the Opposition parties and to ensure that parliamentary democracy continues," it said.

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"A golden era for the BJP may have arrived but in Jammu and Kashmir, violence continues unabated. Pakistan has tightened the noose around Kulbhushan Jadhav, farmers in states like Maharashtra have become ready for mass suicide, inflation has not decreased and employment rate has not increased. The Golden era for the country has not started yet," the Shiv Sena said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said it believed that the golden age can never be for any single party but should be for the entire country.

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"Only power and political wins cannot be termed as the ladder towards the golden era," the Sena said.

In the inaugural address at the BJP's two-day national executive meeting in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, BJP president Amit Shah had said, "The BJP is yet to reach its peak. Its golden era will arrive when it rules from panchayat to assemblies across the country and Parliament."