Mumbai/New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday said the Shiv Sena's decision to contest the next Maharashtra Assembly and Lok Sabha polls alone would backfire for the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
The Shiv Sena had earlier decided not to align with the BJP and go solo in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls, declaring that it had so far not contested elections outside the state to keep the Hindu vote together but that would no longer be the case.
"It will be their loss," Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said, adding that the BJP was keen on alliance.
Mr Shelar said if the Shiv Sena was not keen on having an alliance, the BJP was also ready to go it alone.
A senior BJP leader said his party always went the extra mile for the sake of its alliance with the Sena and was "tolerant".
Even before the Maharashtra elections, the party had asked the Sena to agree to contest equal number of seats in alliance, but the latter rejected the offer, a senior BJP leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He claimed the BJP had offered the chief minister's post to the Sena even if it were to secure fewer seats.
"The BJP is a senior partner in the coalition. So, we will behave like an elder brother. We have been tolerant so far and we would not take any step which does not suit our stature," another leader said.
When asked about the future of Shiv Sena ministers at the Centre and in the Maharashtra government, the leader said BJP has no issues even if they continued to hold office.
A senior BJP leader compared Shiv Sena's attitude to an upset wife who keeps threatening her husband that she will go back to her parental home.
The Shiv Sena had earlier decided not to align with the BJP and go solo in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls, declaring that it had so far not contested elections outside the state to keep the Hindu vote together but that would no longer be the case.
"It will be their loss," Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said, adding that the BJP was keen on alliance.
A senior BJP leader said his party always went the extra mile for the sake of its alliance with the Sena and was "tolerant".
Advertisement
He claimed the BJP had offered the chief minister's post to the Sena even if it were to secure fewer seats.
Advertisement
When asked about the future of Shiv Sena ministers at the Centre and in the Maharashtra government, the leader said BJP has no issues even if they continued to hold office.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
61% Voter Turnout In Haryana Polls: 10 Points Opinion: Opinion | Haryana Polls: BJP Aims For Record, Congress Seeks Comeback After 'Sip Gaumutra To Join Garba' Remark, Madhya Pradesh BJP Leader's U-Turn Congress To Win Haryana, Hung House In J&K: Poll Of Exit Polls Dinner With Kim Jong Un Or George Soros? S Jaishankar Was Asked. His Reply Drugs Worth Over Rs 1,800 Crore Seized From Factory Near Bhopal, 2 Arrested Drugs Worth Over Rs 1,800 Crore Seized From Factory Near Bhopal, 2 Arrested Neha Dhupia, Angad Bedi Celebrate Son's Birthday With Spider-Man Theme Cake Ancient DNA Uncovers The Genetic Background Of Japanese People: Study Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.