In what may be interpreted as a sign of thaw between the Shiv Sena and BJP, Janata Dal (United) vice-president and former election strategist Prashant Kishor met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and party MPs in Mumbai on Tuesday. Sena sources said this may be part of a chain of events which may lead to the party abandoning its go-it-alone policy and ally with the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections.
Uddhav had called a meeting of party MPs at his Bandra residence 'Matoshree' on Tuesday. A Shiv Sena MP said in a surprise move, Uddhav had introduced Kishor to them. "We were told Kishor is making use of his good office to our benefit," said a Sena MP, adding Kishor had also spoken to them about his help with the poll strategy.
Kishor, who is a JD(U) leader, which is a key member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and later, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
It is learnt that Kishor told Sena MPs that they could project late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, Uddhav and his son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya as "brands" and also questioned why the Sena was looking at snapping its ties with BJP as it would reduce its "strike rate."
While Aaditya tweeted photos of the meeting with this "special visitor," Kishor reverted by thanking the father-son duo for their hospitality. "As part of NDA, we look forward to joining forces with you in Maharashtra to help secure victory in upcoming Lok Sabha elections and beyond," he said in a loaded statement.
In January 2018, Sena national executive approved a resolution to contest all future elections sans an alliance with the BJP. However, the BJP is seeking that the Sena enter into a pre-poll alliance with it to prevent a split in votes.
The Shiv Sena has 18 Lok Sabha MPs. Party sources admit that there are two streams of thought one is strike peace with BJP, fight in an alliance and win more seats. The other is to go alone. However, Sena insiders feel that fighting alone will get them only 5-8 MPs.
A Sena Lok Sabha MP claimed Uddhav and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were likely to discuss seat-sharing arrangement soon. Another Sena MP claimed that so far, the BJP had not sent a formal communication.
In 2014, the Sena had been given 22 of 48 Lok Sabha seats, of which it fought 20, leaving aside two for its smaller allies like the Swabhimaani Paksha (Hatkanangale in Kolhapur).
NDA Alliance Under Cloud In State
- In Maharashtra, future of electoral alliance between the Sena and the BJP was under cloud with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party giving mixed signals about its willingness to contest Lok Sabha polls with the BJP by its side.
- Both the parties had contested the 2014 general elections in an alliance, but went solo in the assembly elections
- Sena on Jan 24 last year announced to contest all the forthcoming polls on its own
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 "Prashant Kishor with Uddhav Thackeray")
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