Shiv Sena breaks 25-year alliance with BJP, to go solo in BMC polls

Elections to the state's civic bodies are slated to take place on Feb 16 and Feb 21

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray led a blistering attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) while announcing his party's decision to break the 25-year-old alliance with the Centre's ruling party.

Elections to the state's civic bodies- 26 zilla parishads, 283 panchayat samitis and 10 municipal corporations including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation- are slated to take place on February 16 and 21. 

Indicating that his party would not play second fiddle during the elections, Thackeray said that the Shiv Sena will unfurl saffron flags on top of all civic bodies as well as the state legislature.

Thackeray also said that his party was forced to break the alliance because of BJP and that he would not tolerate its encroachment in his territory- the BMC.  

Noting that its former ally is currently the ruling party at the Centre, the Sena chief said that he was quite capable of countering its powerful ally with precision and planning.

However, he remained silent on whether or not his party ministers in the state and central governments will resign.

Uddhav also criticised the BJP for taking Shiv Sena for a ride and ridiculed it by alleging that its former ally was a "party with a difference" for being in a mad rush to roll out a red carpet for criminals. Shiv Sena is well prepared to take on such tactics, he said.

Uddhav also took potshots at BJP's transparency plank and dared the party to implement it in the state as well as the Centre. Uddhav also attacked BJP for staking claim on 114 seats, of the total 223 in BMC. This, he said, was an insult to his party. He also claimed that the party was not a fool to accept the BJP's proposal and it was Shiv Sena, which was in a commanding position.

Further, Uddhav said Shiv Sena has been at the forefront in promoting growth in Mumbai and protecting Mumbaikars and their interests on various occasions including during communal riots, terror attacks and disasters.