)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday snubbed those within the party arguing that the BJP should fight alone in the ensuing Assembly elections in Maharashtra by breaking its 28-year alliance with Shiv Sena.
In his first meeting in New Delhi with the Maharashtra unit's core committee, Shah said the ‘Maha Yuti’ (grand alliance) comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, the Republican Party of India, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha will fight the election together with the sole objective of dislodging the 15-year-old Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government in the state. The BJP’s grand alliance has won 42 of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
Shah also hinted that the Assembly poll will be contested through the BJP’s collective leadership. He asked state BJP leaders to explore the possibility of roping in like-minded parties in the Maha Yuti.
Thus, he sent a clear signal that the BJP can play a key role to broadbase the Maha Yuti by reaching out cross-sections to encash the anti-incumbency sentiment against the Congress-NCP combine and also ride on the Modi wave.
“The party president directed the state unit to strengthen booth-level organisational setup and gear up efforts to reach out maximum number of voters. Amit ji was quite clear in his observation that the BJP and other members of Maha Yuti can arrive at seat-sharing arrangement by protecting their respective interests. He also indicated that the BJP won't go alone, but Maha Yuti will together take on the ruling Congress-NCP alliance for its defeat,” a BJP leader, who was present at the meeting, told Business Standard .
He said the BJP president also discussed at length the political, social and caste factors in the state, especially with reference to the state government's recent decision to provide 16 per cent reservation to the Maratha community and five per cent to Muslims in jobs and education.
Further, Shah asked the state leaders to organise district-wise meetings to be addressed by the BJP ministers during the campaign. He assured that ministers will extensively tour their assigned constituencies and address poll rallies. Shah has also assured to visit the state soon.
