Gujarat Assembly election 2017: Shiv Sena to contest 25 seats

In an attempt to escalate his opposition to the BJP, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has planned to hit where it hurts most. The Shiv Sena is going to contest 25 Assembly seats in BJP's stronghold Gujarat.

A team of Shiv Sena under the leadership of Rajul Patel, a fire brand councillor from Versova, will head to Gujarat on Thursday to assess the political situation and identify the seats to be contested.

Another Shiv Sena leader Hemraj Shah will accompany her. These two Gujarati faces of the party have been roped in with an assumption that they would be able to convince the Gujarati voters in favour of Shiv Sena on the front of Hindutva.

"We will field candidates from Surat and Rajkot," Patel said.

"In this area, Marathi voters have a sizable presence. We will concentrate on them. In addition to that, we hope the Gujaratis will back us on the issue of Hindutva as BJP has entirely failed on that front."

Patel claimed that the decision to contest the Gujarat Assembly election is not a sudden thought but a well planned strategy.

"Shiv Sena has existence in those areas. We can influence the voters to make a change," she said.

Patel, however, clarified that Shiv Sena will not enter into an alliance with any other party. "We have good relations with Hardik Patel but that will not make us join hands," she said.

Thackeray has appointed his man Friday Anil Desai, a member of Rajya Sabha, to supervise the party's Gujarat mission.

"Our target is to stop juggernaut of Modi-Shah duo. We can go to any extent to achieve it," an insider said.

The party sees it an opportunity to damage the BJP in Gujarat in wake of public outcry against the Union government on social media.

In 2007, Shiv Sena had become a reason for defeat of BJP in three constituencies. It hopes it can increase the number this time.

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