After deciding to contest BMC polls alone, Shiv Sena to stay with BJP in Maharashtra 'for some time'

Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said his party would have to stay in an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra `for some more time` in a bid to maintain stability in the state.

Raut's statement came a day after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray announced breaking of his party's 25-year-old alliance with the BJP for the upcoming civic elections in Maharashtra.

“We do not want to destabilise Maharashtra. That is why we will have to maintain an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra State for some more time,” said Raut.

Commenting on BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's charge that there was corruption in every civic department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was in the grip of a “powerful mafia", Raut said, “Any random person can ask a question? People must stay in their limits.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Thursday night, took to Twitter to say that power is not the ultimate goal.

Without naming Shiv Sena, Fadnavis wrote: “Power aint our ultimate goal but a medium of devpt.We'll take along those who come with us &leave aside who dont.Transformatn is inevitable!”

“We pledge to walk on the path of transparency!”

Meanwhile, Congress' Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam dared Shiv Sena to withdraw support from the BJP in Maharashtra and the Centre.

“If Shiv Sena has guts, it should withdraw support from State and Centre, otherwise it is just empty rhetoric,” said Nirupam.

On Thursday, Thackeray told party workers at a rally in suburban Goregaon: “We shall not go around with a begging bowl. We have wasted 25 years in this alliance. But no more. Shiv Sena will contest all the civic body elections independently and will not have an alliance with them (BJP) henceforth.”

The move to sever the alliance was greeted with cheers and a thunderous applause, and party workers chanted to Thackeray's call for fighting the ensuing elections separately.

Attacking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his recent order banning all kinds of religious activities and poojas in all government offices and institutions, Thackeray demanded that it should be withdrawn.

Comparing BJP to a bull which has run amok, he said the time has come to tame it.

Reacting quickly to the development, Shiv Sainiks broke into impromptu celebrations in several parts of Mumbai and Thane and raised slogans supporting the move.

(With Agency inputs)