Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has confirmed a future alliance between the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for all forthcoming elections, including local civic polls.
Shinde, who leads a coalition government with the BJP in Maharashtra, divulged the alliance after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Joined by Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, the meeting took place on Sunday night.
“In an impactful decision, the Shiv Sena and BJP have resolved to contest all upcoming elections collectively. We are poised to secure electoral victory with a majority,” the Chief Minister announced on Twitter, appending a photo from the meeting.
The visit to Delhi, which saw Shinde and Fadnavis engage with Shah, also involved discussions on cooperation and agricultural issues. Shinde reported that numerous pending projects in the state have now been expedited towards completion.
“Guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently aided our progress on various projects. Our meeting with Shah was intended to further discuss issues pertaining to the cooperation sector,” said Shinde.
The announcement comes on the heels of a political shakeup last year when Shinde, along with 39 other MLAs, rebelled against the undivided Shiv Sena’s leadership. The rebellion led to a splintering of Shiv Sena and the downfall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The subsequent alliance with BJP propelled Shinde to his current role as the Chief Minister.