The Shiv Sena, a constituent of the ruling NDA at the Centre and the BJP-led Government in Maharashtra, on Tuesday announced that it will contest the 2019 lok Sabha and State Assembly polls on its own strength. Party president Uddhav Thackeray took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that it was not question of one having “56-inch” chest but the question was whether the person had valour in him.
Addressing the Sena’s national executive meet at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium at Worli, Uddhav said his party did not accept the “Hindutva” as practised by the BJP since there was a vast difference between the “Hindutva” practised by the Sena and the BJP.
Announcing that his party will henceforth contest all elections outside Maharashtra, the Sena president said, “We have not, so far, contested elections outside Maharashtra because we felt that it will result in the division of Hindu votes. Some people made the most of our generosity and came to power. Henceforth, the Shiva Sena will contest elections in each and every State. We may win or lose but we will not give up our ideology.”
Hitting out at Modi for mouthing “lies” during electioneering, Uddhav added, “We consider killing Hindus as a sin. We also considering mouthing lies and winning elections through as a sin. We do not accept this kind of Hindutva.”
Minutes after Sena adopted unanimously a resolution deciding to go it alone in both the 2019 lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Uddhav said, “The resolution that we have passed at the party’s national executive meeting is not merely holding out threats to someone. We have passed this resolution after carefully deliberating on the issue. We have not done for mere formality. I am asking you to support this resolution by not merely raising hand but by raising the fist”.
Earlier, Raut moved a resolution announcing that the Shiv Sena would contest the lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls on its own strength in 2019.
“We have been in alliance with the BJP on the issue of the Hindutva. On many occasions, we exercised restraint so that there is no break in the alliance. But, for the past three years, the BJP has not lost even one opportunity to weaken the Shiv Sena. As announced by Sena president on January 26, 2016, the Sena has decided to go it alone in the polls. This representative body of the Sena adopts a resolution to contest the 2019 lok Sabha and Assembly polls on its own strength,” the resolution passed unanimously by the Sena’s national executive read.
Raut expressed confidence that the Sena will win at least 25 of total 48 seats in Maharashtra and 125 out of a total 288 Assembly seats in the State.
Meanwhile, downplaying the Sena’s decision to go it alone in the lS and Assembly elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The Sena had said a similar thing in the past. But, I am confident that the BJP-Sena alliance Government will complete its full five term in office.”
While slamming Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari for his recent criticism of the Navy in Mumbai, Uddhav also targeted Modi for lack of valour. “Gadkari said ‘we are Government and the Navy has role to play to along the Malabar Hill coast and asked the Navy personnel to go borders. I would like to ask if these people (Gadkari) are carrying out surgical strikes or Defence personnel. We agree with you have the power and it is also unfortunate that you are ruling us,” the Sena president said.
“These are (Defence) people who lie down their lives for the country. Tell me as to what kind of sacrifices you make for the county. They may or may not 56 inch chest, but the Defence personnel have valour in them. It does not matter whether one has 56 inch chest or not. What matters is whether there is valour in the person concerned. If there is no valour in the 56-chest it is of no use for the country,” Uddhav said.
“Instead of resorting to a roadshow in Ahmedabad, had Modi - along with the Isralei Prime Minister - undertaken roadshow at Jammu & Kashmir and unfurled national tricolour at lal chowk in the Valley, I would have appreciated our Prime Minister’s valour.”
“Had Sardar Vallabah Patel been alive, he would not have merely remained a talker but a doer. By now, he would have solved the problems of Kashmir and Pakistan by now,” the Sena president added.