Devendra Fadnavis avers 'BJP to fight polls alone' even as Sena MLA seeks rapprochement

Brushing aside the need to ally with Shiv Sena, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence in his party winning a majority in the next Maharashtra Assembly polls. The former Chief Minister was commenting on Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik's letter to party supremo Uddhav Thackeray in which he urged the latter to again join hands with BJP. Dubbing this as Shiv Sena's "internal matter", Fadnavis contended that people will support BJP as it has been functioning very well as an opposition party. His stance on BJP going solo in the election assumes significance at a juncture when the infighting in the MVA is coming to the fore. 

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "This can be the wish of many people. We have a clear position on this- this is Shiv Sena's internal matter. He has written it to his party chief. BJP is clear that we are working as a competent opposition party. We are raising the issues of the people. While we were the single-largest party last time, we did not have a majority as we fought in an alliance. We are confident that we will get elected with a majority in the coming time."

"BJP is contesting solo only. It is for them to decide. They have to decide among themselves who wants to garland the other, who wants to throw slippers at the other and who wants to go with the other. We are not concerned with it. We are committed to the people," the BJP leader reacted to the Maharashtra CM's veiled jibe at Congress. 

Shiv Sena MLA's explosive letter

A day earlier, Republic TV accessed an explosive letter written by Sarnaik to the Maharashtra CM dated June 9. At present, he is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Tops Grup case and the National Spot Exchange Limited money laundering case. Quoting unnamed MLAs, he claimed that the Sena legislators cannot get their work done despite having Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister. He opined that rapprochement with PM Modi will ensure that the harassment endured by him, Ravindra Waikar and Anil Parab will come to an end.

Batting for Shiv Sena rejoining NDA, the Ovala-Majiwada MLA wrote, "Congress is adopting the stance of going solo. On the other hand, NCP is poaching leaders and workers of Shiv Sena instead of other parties. I also want to bring to your notice that some Ministers and officers have joined hands with the ruling party at the Centre without your knowledge to ensure that the central investigative agencies do not go after them".