While senior BJP leaders had earlier indicated that they were willing to consider a post-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday clearly dismissed the possibility.
Addressing a rally here, he said, ?How can a government in Delhi work with someone who shut the doors on us? someone who does not have the courage to share a platform with me??
While Modi, who kicked off his poll campaign in Maharashtra and Haryana on Saturday, did not name the Shiv Sena, it was clear that his target was the BJP?s former ally.
Promising to make Mumbai slum-free by 2022, he said, ?Unfortunately, you have people coming and collecting haftas (extortion money), but they never deliver the results? Mumbaikars cannot be left vulnerable any more.? The reference to ?hatfa? seemed to be aimed at the local Shiv Sainiks. Taking his cue from Modi, state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said: ?It is not enough to just take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji and then go to people and collect haftas? In 2002, it was Modi who first visited Shivaji?s fort and pledged to provide an administration like Shivaji.? The Sena had earlier criticised the BJP?s poll slogan ? ?Chalo Chale Chhatrapati Shivaji Ka Le Aashirwad?.
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