Gadkari hints at pact with Sena to run BMC

NAGPUR: Union minister for transport Nitin Gadkari on Friday hinted at an alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena to control the country’s richest civic body — the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

In the same breath, he also asked the Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, to stop its diatribe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. “Differences cropped up between the BJP and the Sena over Saamna’s vitriolic writings against senior party leaders, particularly PM Modi despite an ideological bond between the two parties,” he said.

Gadkari said if the Shiv Sena wants the BJP as a friend, it should ensure its mouthpiece writes responsibly. “Otherwise continuing with objectionable writing and wanting BJP’s friendship isn’t acceptable to the party,” he added.

BJP’s stunning victory in the BMC elections has raised the possibility of a post-poll alliance with its estranged ally . Since no party has been able to cross the halfway mark of 114 in the 227-member BMC House, there is a high possibility of the two allies uniting again.

Gadkari, who was in Delhi, flew in to Nagpur last night after the party won an overwhelming eight out of 10 municipal corporations that went to polls in the state. Fadnavis also arrived in Nagpur on Thursday night and went to Gadkari’s residence at Mahal after the astounding win. He held a meeting with Gadkari to chalk out the future strategy, particularly what type of role the party would play for controlling the Mumbai civic body.

Earlier, senior cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil openly said that both the BJP and the Shiv Sena should join hands to control the BMC.

GADKARI ASKS THE SENA MOUTHPIECE, SAAMNA, TO STOP ITS DIATRIBE AGAINST PM NARENDRA MODI AND PARTY CHIEF AMIT SHAH