BJP, Shiv Sena alliance will sail smoothly: Fadnavis

While Shiv Sena earlier made it clear that it will contest all the upcoming elections solely, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he is hopeful that the straining BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will continue in Maharashtra and both the parties will sail smoothly.

"Till today we (Shiv Sena and BJP) have done good. Since last four years, we have been working together and we have taken all decisions unanimously. We are two different parties. On certain issues, we have two different stands. But, I am sure that we will sail smoothly and we will come together again to fight the next elections," Fadnavis told ANI.

Fadnavis' statement comes after the Shiv Sena earlier this month said it will contest the 2019 general elections on its own.

Citing an example of BJP's defeat in the Palghar bypoll, Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', said the result in the polls has given them a message that they don't require any 'poster boy' (read Prime Minister Narendra Modi) to contest elections.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis, who is currently in the US for a business trip, also criticised Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar for trivialising the assassination threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"It's an unfortunate statement, especially when it comes from a senior leader like Sharad Pawar, who has worked in several departments in the cabinet. This is not just a threat. On such issues, we should never play politics. I expect Pawar to understand that Mr Modi is not just a mere Prime Minister of the BJP. He is the leader of the entire country. In such circumstances, it's the politics of pity," Fadnavis said.

While addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the NCP in Pune over the weekend, Pawar said: "They say there was a threatening letter. I spoke to a retired police officer, who had worked for CID. He said there is no substance in the letter. The letter is being used to garner people's sympathy."

For those unversed, in reference to the Bhima-Koregaon violence, the Pune police told a court that they were in possession of a letter, seized from the residence of one of the five people who has been arrested, which talks about the assassination of Prime Minister Modi in Rajiv Gandhi-type incident.