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    Uddhav Thackeray sounds poll bugle, may go alone in civic polls

    Synopsis

    Uddhav was speaking at the 50th foundation day celebrations of the party. The Sena chief slammed the BJP and said it does not need a 'wave to win elections'.

    ET Bureau
    Mumbai: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said he was not sure whether the Sena would go with BJP for an alliance for the 2017 civic elections in Mumbai and asked party workers to stay prepared for any such development.

    “I don't know whether the alliance would happen or not.We don't want the alliance to break, but we will not under any circumstances accept a lop-sided tie-up. You (party cadres) should be ready for the eventuality that we have to fight it alone,“ said Uddhav at a rally in Goregaon.

    Uddhav was speaking at the 50th foundation day celebrations of the party . The Sena chief slammed the BJP and said it does not need a 'wave to win elections'. He added, “We did not break the alliance for the 2014 elections, however, we will not run behind you helplessly for an alliance.“

    Uddhav's comments are important since the BJP has given ample indications that it will go alone for the forthcoming civic polls. On Sunday, at the end of the two-day Maharashtra BJP meet, most party leaders were against any alliance with the Sena.

    Speaking about the 2014 assembly elections where the Sena and BJP contested separately and Sena got fewer seats than BJP, Uddhav said, “We got less time to contest the polls or else we could have toppled the wave too. We don't need a wave to survive as the stables (read BJP) get empty after the surge,“ warned Uddhav.

    Slamming the BJP for not being consistent on its Hindutva stand, Uddhav said, “We accepted that if the Sena workers demolished the Babri Masjid, then we are proud, but the BJP leaders said that the Masjid was not broken by BJP workers. Such people cannot be leaders when they cannot acknowledge the sacrifices of their cadres.“

    The Sena president also did not let go an opportunity to target PM Modi. “There is a proposal for holding assembly and parliamentary polls together.This is because the elections disturb the schedule of foreign tours. So if all the elections are held together, then one can easily go for campaigning at one go and then leave for foreign tours,“ said Uddhav.


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