Bring Sena to power on its own in 2019: Maha minister

Shiv Sena leaders Wednesday exhorted party workers to show their strength during its Dussehra rally on October 19 and bring the party to power on its own in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, said it was optimistic of forging alliance with the Shiv Sena until the end.

Sena leaders and functionaries met at Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar Wednesday to plan the strategy over the Dussehra rally.

Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut addressed party cadres.

Desai asked Shiv Sainiks to prepare for a "big show of strength" and said at least five lakh Shiv Sainiks must attend the traditional Dussehra rally.

"We must come to power on our own strength. The next chief minister should be from Sena. The national executive committee has decided to contest next polls separately. Do not think about what BJP leaders say about alliance. We must focus on our own strength and this is the time to show it to the state," he said.

Raut said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was firm on contesting elections separately and there will not be an alliance with the BJP.

Meanwhile, senior BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, "The alliance between the BJP and Sena is based on ideology. The executive committee of the BJP is of the opinion that an alliance should be forged between BJP and Sena to keep the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) away from the power.

"If the Congress-NCP will win the election, the state will lag behind in development," he said.