Shiv Sena to queer pitch for BJP in Delhi polls on Hindutva plank

MUMBAI: Post its break-up with BJP, Shiv Sena now wants to aggressively expand its base in states other than Maharashtra as well and will kick off its "mission" from Delhi where it wants to corner its former ally mainly on the Hindutva agenda.

"Our party has decided to expand its base aggressively is every state now and we will be starting with our plans from the Delhi Assembly elections. When Uddhav ji (party president Uddhav Thackeray) asked BJP to stay together on the Hindutva plank, they remained adamant," Sena MLC Diwakar Raote told PTI today.

Raote said Sena will use elections as a medium to make the party stronger in every nook and corner of the country.

Delhi Assembly was dissolved earlier this month, paving the way for fresh elections that will end the political hibernation since the AAP government fell in February.

Raote said Sena--a marginal player in Delhi politics-- is yet to decide on number of seats and candidates the party will be fielding in polls.

According to party sources, though Sena is not much confident of winning the polls, it wants to play the role of a spoiler for BJP on the agenda of Hindutva.

Raote further said that Congress' "inability" to provide opportunities for the growth of minority community in various sectors in Delhi has allowed regional parties to spread their wings.

"The main strength of Congress was Muslim community which voted for them with a hope of having a better lifestyle under their regime.

"But Muslims have now realised that they had been fooled for so long. They were not given proper education and there has been no job opportunities for them. MIM took advantage of this and spread their wings outside their state," Raote said referring to the Hyderabad-based Majlis Ittehad ul Muslimeen (MIM) which won two seats in their debut Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

"We will not let such parties grow. We will contest each and every poll in future and ensure that every Indian, irrespective of their religion, gets a government which is answerable to them,' Raote added.