The Shiv Sena called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday and urged him to stand up to his party and evolve a solution to the state's border dispute with Karnataka. Sena leaders alleged that the politicians of the state were not sincere on resolving its border dispute.

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The Shiv Sena — which will contest next month's Karnataka Assembly polls — has already decided to support the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in the areas dominated by Maharashtrian. The MES is seen as the political voice of Marathi speakers in these parts.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, in his weekly column on Sunday in the party organ Saamana, said, "He (Fadnavis) must persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a resolution of the border dispute... He must go to the border areas and leave his party affiliation aside to campaign for the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti's candidates. This will send a message to Delhi that Maharashtra's Chief Minister is serious on the border dispute." He also called on Congress leaders to do likewise.

"The residents of these border areas are fighting, but the government of the Marathi state is not interested in joining forces with them," he the Shiv Sena leader wrote.