Uddhav mum on Somaiya's remarks to contest BMC polls solo

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray today declined to comment on BJP MP Kirit Somaiya's reported statement that his party was prepared to contest all 227 seats in upcoming BMC polls on its own strength.
"Somaiya's statement has not reached me yet and I don't want to comment over it. Shiv sainiks have already reacted to his remarks," Thackeray said.
The Sena chief, however, added that he would speak on many issues at his party's annual Dussehra rally at Dadar in Central Mumbai on October 11.
In a statement that riled Sena, Somaiya yesterday said that "BJP is prepared to contest all 227 wards for BMC elections alone, along with small parties to end the mafia raj in BMC."

BJP and Sena are alliance partners in Centre and state governments, besides in BMC.
The country's richest civic body will go to polls next year.

Meanwhile, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said that her party was positive about the alliance.
"Uddhav Thackeray shares a very good rapport with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. They have a good understanding about issues between them. If their (BJP's) proposal is reasonable then we shall have an alliance. Uddhav ji will take a final call on the issue," she said.
Meanwhile, state unit BJP president Raosaheb Danve told reporters that the issue of forging any tie-up with the like-minded political parties has been left to the respective district level units.

"If there is any deadlock then they can report it to the state BJP unit which shall take the final call," he said.
Danve added that the stage for holding talks about alliance has not arrived yet.
When asked about Somaiya's comments, he termed them as the "personal views" of the MP.
Somaiya has been targeting the Sena-ruled BMC on the issues of corruption in Deonar garbage dump, potholes on roads and other civic issues.