Elections 2019: All is well, saffron alliance assures its workers

An image of PM Narendra Modi and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray greeting each other is being circulated among party workers to ensure a united front for the LS campaigns

An image of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going viral, especially among the saffron cadre. The aim is to assuage the situation on ground where party workers from both camps are still holding old grudges against each other.

The Sena and BJP have been at loggerheads since 2014 Assembly polls in Maharashtra, launching verbal attacks at each other, leading to a split among party workers. At one point, the oldest political alliance inked on Hindutva agenda in the late 1980s was on the verge of a break-up. But, just ahead of 2019 general polls, the two parties buried their differences and entered a pre-poll alliance.

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However, party workers are still unwilling to forget past bitterness and work together. One instance is that of Mumbai North East where a section of Sena workers are not co-operating with BJP's candidate Manoj Kotak or in Palghar where BJP workers are not willing to campaign for Sena nominee Rajendra Gavit.

Worried about this infighting costing the saffron alliance dearly in the parliamentary polls, the picture of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being circulated to pacify both camps. Sena secretary and a close confidante of Thackeray, Milind Narvekar too is seen shaking hands with the PM.

"Uddhav ji greeted Narendra Modi with a flower. In the same rally, the PM referred to Sena chief as 'mere chotte bhai'. This is a loud and clear signal to workers that everyone has forgotten the bitterness and all is well in the saffron alliance," a senior Sena functionary said.

State BJP secretary Sanjay Upadhaya too echoed similar views. "Everyone from Sena-BJP camp has turned the page. The only aim now is to win maximum Lok Sabha seats to ensure a second term for the PM. If there is any misunderstanding, the image will help calm matters," he said.

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