The BJP on Thursday sought to downplay the hard-hitting attack by its ally Shiv Sena terming it as “friendly advice” and pointed out the “long-standing commitment” between the two parties. The Sena had slammed it as Sena slammed it for creating a “trust deficit” by hobnobbing with Raj Thackeray.
“I read the article (in Saamana). It gives anecdotes from history. It essentially speaks about the friendship of Shiv Sena, a long-standing committment of Shiv Sena with the BJP and the NDA. And, therefore, it is in the nature of a friendly advice and not anything against the BJP,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said. “As far as the matter of BJP and Shiv Sena was concerned, that was already sorted out and now there are no issues. We are a permanent ally and will fight for victory in Maharashtra and will win more than 35 seats,” he said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, in a hard-hitting editorial in mouthpiece Saamana, slammed the BJP over its overtures to Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Asking the BJP to adhere to the “dharma” of the alliance, Uddhav cited example of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray “who had rejected the offer of BJP rebel Shakarsinh Waghela in 1996 to form Government of the Shiv Sena in Gujarat”.