Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday mocked the Opposition for its lack of a clear prime ministerial choice in the Lok Sabha elections like the National Democratic Alliance’s choice of Narendra Modi, PTI reported. Thackeray said his party had resolved its differences with the BJP.
The Shiv Sena leader was addressing a rally in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad before BJP chief Amit Shah filed his nomination for the election from Gandhinagar constituency. “They have 56 leaders in a rally joining hands,” Thackeray said. “It’s good. They should join hands, even if they do not get along well. But Shiv Sena and BJP, we are joined by hearts. They [Opposition] have started pulling each others’ legs even before the polls as everyone wants to become the prime minister.”
Thackeray said Shah’s visit to his home helped resolve the rift in the alliance. “Some people were rejoicing that the two [BJP and Shiv Sena] parties with the same ideology are fighting with each other,” Thackeray said. “We have similar goals. Our ideologies and hearts are woven together. We have come together because Hindutva is what binds us.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party has often mocked the Opposition’s “grand alliance” for not announcing a prime ministerial candidate.
On February 18, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced that his Bharatiya Janata Party will ally with the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections. The development came after months of uncertainty because of the Shiv Sena’s criticism of its ally. The Shiv Sena had even ruled out joining the saffron party for the General Elections at one point.
On March 20, the Shiv Sena criticised the political drama between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies in Goa over the selection of a new chief minister after Manohar Parrikar’s death.
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