Shiv Sena rules out alliance for civic polls in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: Ending days of suspense over the possibility of a tie-up with BJP for civic polls in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said his party would contest the upcoming elections to municipal corporations and zilla parishads on its own.

The talks between the ruling alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena for the tie-up for all-important Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai had reached a dead-end in the last few days.

“I am ready to go solo, the Shiv Sainiks are ready to go solo. I want strong foot-soldiers with me who have the courage to launch a frontal attack and not back-stab. Once I have taken my decision, I do not want anybody to question it,” Thackeray said while addressing a gathering of party workers in the evening.

“If you promise to stand by me, I have taken the decision to go solo in Maharashtra. I will not go to anybody’s door with a begging bowl for an alliance and won’t be at anybody’s mercy. I have decided that there will be no alliance for any of the municipal corporation or zilla parishad polls,” Thackeray said.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “Parivartan is inevitable, irrespective of those who join or don’t in our fight for transparency and accountable administration for larger public welfare.”

The decision is only confined to elections across 10 municipal corporations and 25 zilla parishads, leaders from both parties said. Sena will continue it alliance with the BJP at the Centre and State.