BJP, Sena join hands to market Modi in Mumbai

Top leadership of Shiv Sena and BJP will come together on Thursday to felicitate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai. The function has been organised by Vandemataram Foundation in coordination with various Gujarati community organisations in the city.

The BJP is going that extra mile to market Modi in Mumbai, hoping that the close bond between city’s 40 lakh Gujaratis and their relations back home would help the chief minister in the assembly elections in November.

Senior BJP leader Prakash Mehta said, “The initiative was taken by Vandemataram Foundation to honour Modi with best chief minister award in Mumbai. They have networked with local Gujarati organisations.”

The Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, BJP state president Nitin Gadkari and all India BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde will attend the function to signal  Sena-BJP alliance is going steady after the recent strains.

A senior functionary in Sena said, “Both the allies will try to utilise the platform to send some strong messages. There is bound to be some loud talking on Hindutva in the backdrop of Ram Setu controversy. With mid-term polls too looming large, Sena and BJP leaders in Mumbai will exploit the Moditva to their advantage to galvanise their rank and file.”

Not surprisingly, the state BJP has decided to mobilise large number of people at Shanmukhananda Hall, the venue, where the function will take place tomorrow. According to a Vandemataram Foundation official, “Several organisations and political rivals have always portrayed Modi as a rioter and anti-Muslim leader.”