Shiv Sena slams BJP’s offer to remain united, says party will continue to take on government

The editorial also criticised Shah for likening all of the Opposition, including recent ally the Telagu Dessam Party, to animals.

The Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamana, in its editorial on Monday, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah’s offer to remain united by pointing out that such after thoughts were a result of by poll losses in Uttar Pradesh.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray

“The scenario in 2019 will be completely different from 2014, but BJP is still dreaming of a golden period. BJP still thinks it is strong..the BJP president in passing said that Sena should stay with them. But, they didn’t think of this in 2014 or even after they got power,” said the editorial.

It added that the party had ‘lost its balance’ and had started ‘flying in a plane without wings’.

The editorial also criticised Shah for likening all of the Opposition, including recent ally the Telagu Dessam Party, to animals.

“Since Shiv Sena is not a caged tiger, we will continue to speak on the issues of national and state importance. The tiger cannot be stopped or mollycoddled now,” said the editorial, indicating that the party would continue to take on the BJP government and go solo in the upcoming polls.

“Shah likened BJP to a lion and its party workers showed how lions have a greater share by walking into restaurants and having food without paying bills. The city and its stations were left dirty at the cost of Modi’s Swatch Bharat Abhiyan”.

Saamna also pointed out that the party’s foundation day rally did not invite its own stalwarts like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani, who were instrumental in the first convention of the party in Bandra in 1980s.

BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay said that the party does not believe in commenting on any editorial content.

“As a policy, we have decided to refrain from commenting on Saamana editorials, because it creates unnecessary verbal tussles,” said a BJP functionnary, who did not wish to be named.