With the date of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections coming closer by the day, the political drama in Mumbai is witnessing a new high after the Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday met Uddhav Thackeray—the leader of Shiv Sena, which recently broke its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest separately in the civic polls.
This visit from the 23-year-old Patel quota activist, who became a political headache for the saffron party in Gujarat, got all eyes rolling with the suspicion that Shivsena might use this opportunity and go strongly against the BJP.
However, both Uddhav and Hardik denied those speculations by saying that “it was a friendly meeting” and a voluntary move from Hardik who wanted to take “blessings from Balasaheb”, the Shiv Sena supremo, whom he holds in high regard.
“I am a 23-year-old and can’t say I am supporting Shiv Sena. I have just come here to take blessings from Balasaheb and Uddhavji as they have been fighting for people of Maharashtra for many years ” Hardik said.
“Sher jo Hota hai o Kabhi Kehta Nahi Main Sher hun , o Chahe Pinjare me ho ya Bahar o Sher Hi Kehlata hai, Inko Kisi Ki Madad ki Zarurat Nahi ye Khud Dusro Ki Madad Karte Hain,” he added.
“We have started contesting elections in states other than Maharashtra and Hardik will be our supporter but this meeting was not political. He just wanted to take blessings from Balasaheb and though I am not an elder, my blessings are also with him for his political career. His movement was supported by people and we need such social movements for people’s rights,” Uddhav said
Patel’s anger against BJP is well known and after his meeting with Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray, there are talks that he might campaign for Shivsena in Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation election 2017. The meeting was followed by a press meet.
The meet started at 1 pm and reportedly clashed with the BJP’s manifesto release. The step was enough for the reporters to guess that the agenda of the meeting was to grab the attention towards Hardik-ShivSena alliance which can hurt BJP as Hardik already opposed BJP during Patidar agitation which was strongly supported in Gujarat.
When asked about supporting Hardik Patel against BJP in Gujarat election Uddhav said that in future Shiv Sena will support Hardik in the election against BJP.
When media asked Uddhav about notice period he hinted that soon there will be a split in the Maharashtra assembly at the right time. “Everything has a notice period and we have to serve during elections,” added Uddhav.
Hardik’s arrival in Mumbai has shocked BJP Mumbai who is preparing to go against Shiv Sena which was its alliance partner in BMC for 20 years.
Story by Deven D Lad
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