Shah: Fear of BJP has led to strange tie-ups

MUMBAI: : Extending an olive branch to BJP's often-sparring partner Shiv Sena, Amit Shah said on Friday his party was keen on an alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit for the 2019 elections.
"We have a genuine desire to contest the next elections with the Sena," the BJP president told mediapersons after his party's 38th anniversary rally at the BKC when asked about Sena's January announcement that it would go solo in the next polls. Asked about Sena's frequent targeting of BJP, Shah avoided criticism, saying, "They are still a part of our government."

His comments are crucial considering he was the prime factor behind BJP's refusal to carry out negotiations with Sena on old terms, with Sena as senior partner, in 2014. He was also instrumental for BJP's move to form the Maharashtra government before Sena had extended its support. His reassurance to the over-two-decades-old saffron ally should spare the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government instability and could also lead to a possible redressal of Sena's grievances of inadequate representation at the Centre.

Significantly, Shah said the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls will not be held together. Maharashtra is due for elections in September-October next year, some months after the LS polls.

At the rally, which according to Mumbai police was attended by 90,000 BJP workers, Shah did not mention the Sena but unveiled his party's poll blitzkrieg. Pouring ridicule on the opposition for its efforts at unity to take on the Modi government, he caustically remarked that when there's a flood, dogs, cats, monkeys and wolves climb up a large banyan tree to escape from being drowned. "There are parties like BSP and SP, Congress and Trinamool, with different ideologies and opinions, but they are uniting in fear," he added.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Shah said the Congress chief shouldn't be asking for the Modi government's performance report of four years. "Rahul baba should give us the report of the last four generations," he said.

Shah blamed Congress and other opposition parties for the logjam in Lok Sabha. "Modiji wanted the Lok Sabha to conduct business. He made several attempts too. But the opposition kept obstructing its functioning. We are ready to hold talks with the opposition on any issue. We don't shy away from debate," he stated.