"If You Have Balasaheb's Blood...": Shiv Sena Gets Dare After BJP Threat

Mumbai: After Amit Shah’s veiled threat to the Shiv Sena that the BJP can thrash former allies in polls in the absence of a tie-up, party chief Uddhav Thackeray received a dare from Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party chief Jayant Patil.

“The president of the other party (BJP) talks about plonking you down. If you have (late Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray’s blood running in your veins, show the courage to walk out of the state cabinet tomorrow morning,” Jayant Patil dared the Shiv Sena chief.

In a veiled warning, BJP president Amit Shah had said last Sunday that if there was no alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will “plonk down” (defeat) its former allies.

Addressing a rally, Mr Patil also claimed that while the Sena keeps attacking the BJP, Uddhav Thackeray met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a city hotel two days ago.

He sought to know what they discussed. The Shiv Sena, though part of the NDA, has been a regular critic of the BJP. Mr Patil also said there was “no wave” in the country now, suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP’s popularity was on the wane.

“We have launched this Parivartan Yatra campaign to rid the country and state of the BJP,” he said. The NCP rally was also addressed by senior leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Ajit Pawar, Dhananjay Munde and others.

Ajit Pawar hit out at the Centre over the 10 per cent quota to the economically backward section in the general category. “You gave reservation to those who pay income tax, but not to the poor,” Mr Pawar said.