Cong, BJP woo Sena for tie-up in Mumbai

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, February 24

The Shiv Sena, which has emerged as the single largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, is being wooed by both Congress and the BJP for an alliance to control the richest civic body.

Within hours of the Shiv Sena bagging 84 of the 227 seats, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ashok Chavan extended a hand of friendship to Uddhav Thackeray and suggested that the Sena ally with the grand old party. The Congress has been reduced to a rump with just 31 seats in Mumbai but along with the Shiv Sena could rustle the requisite numbers to control the BMC.

Chavan told local media outlets here that the Shiv Sena adroitly played the secular card in Mumbai and got its Muslim candidates elected from minority-dominated areas. He said a decision on tying up with Shiv Sena would be taken by the party high command.

Sources say leaders of the Congress have initiated backroom negotiations with the Shiv Sena for a tie-up.

The BJP which came a close second with 82 seats has mooted the idea of getting back to Shiv Sena despite their acrimonious falling out.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told a Marathi TV channel that the leadership of both parties was mature enough to decide on an alliance. “Both the Shiv Sena and the BJP have no option but to come together again,” Gadkari said.