BJP dumps Shiv Sena, to go solo in LS poll 2019 in Maha

Mumbai: BJP president Amit Shah held meeting with senior party leaders and asked party cadres to prepare for the elections alone.

Mr Shah held meetings of senior party leaders here on Sunday with the focus on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and strengthening the cadre in Maharashtra.

In the meeting, several issues were discussed such as increasing the party strength, addressing new voters’ groups based on their profession, gender and a regular follow up of the voters by the local party workers.

While the BJP and the Shiv Sena contested the 2014 parliamentary elections as allies, scoring a record tally, in the assembly elections a few months later, they split and fought alone.

The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the state for the first time ever.

In 2014, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, BJP had won 23 seats, the Shiv Sena 18, the NCP four, the Congress two, and former BJP ally Swabhimani Paksh one.

Shiv Sena’s decision to boycott the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha on Friday, might have hurt BJP party.

Mr Shah made a visit to singer Lata Mangeshkar in south Mumbai as part of the party’s “contact for support” campaign. (UNI)