Control your tongue, Amit Shah's advice to BJP Maharashtra leaders

Control your loose, loud talk! That was BJP national president Amit Shah's advice to party leaders in Maharashtra. Sources said Shah had warned state leaders for making statements about ties with saffron allies and wishful statements about who will be the CM, etc etc if the alliance came to power.

The last few days saw war of words between BJP and Sena leaders, delaying the seat-sharing process. While Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has made it clear that there was no point in BJP state leaders bargaining for seats with him, the fact remains that for more than a fortnight now, none of these leaders have been able to successfully negotiate with Uddhav.

"This has caused a lot of frustration among BJP leaders who were confident of carrying the show themselves at the state level. Some of them had even said that in case Sena does not agree to equal seat sharing, BJP might think of going it alone.

They thought they could strike a deal with Uddhav and make their case stronger at the BJP national parliamentary committee," said a senior leader.

In order to become the 'blue–eyed boy' of Shah and Modi, state leaders started making statements as they pleased, resulting in internal bickering. Seeing through the situation, Uddhav insisted he would negotiate only with Om Prakash Mathur, BJP's election committee in-charge for Maharashtra.

With damage having already been done, Amit Shah is said to be advising these leaders not to make unwanted statements. "Modiji and Amitbhai are clear that saffron alliance will stay. Even Uddhav is of that opinion. Hence, state leaders will have to blunt their weapons for now," sources said.