New Delhi, Nov 19: Spurned by the BJP, Shiv Sena is contesting as many as 27 of the total 70 assembly seats in Delhi to project a third alternative in the polls next month as both the Congress and BJP have so far "failed" to tackle the problems faced by the national capital. This was stated by Delhi Shiv Sena president Jai Bhagwan Goyal and party's leader in the Lok Sabha Chandrakant Khaire while addressing a press conference today to proclaim it was very much in the fray.
Hitting out at the BJP, Goyal said like the Pandavas were denied even five villages by the Kauravas in 'Mahabharat’, his party was initially not offered a single seat by the BJP, Shiv Sena's oldest ally in Maharashtra.
Later, the Delhi BJP chief Madanlal Khurana was "generous" to offer two seats of Seelampur and Jehangirpuri to Shiv Sena as the former has 70 per cent Muslim population and the later has never been won by the BJP, Goyal said citing reasons why his party decided to go on its own.
The press conference also attended by Union minister Subodh Mohite also saw Khaire accusing certain political forces, which he did not name, of putting obstacles in the Shiv Sena's plans of contesting all the 70 seats.
Replying to questions, Khaire and Goyal said there "enemy no one" was Congress. They were, however, critical of the BJP for "frequently changing" its stand on issues like Ayodhya, not propagating militant Hindutva like the Sena and for repeated friendly overtures to Pakistan.
Bureau Report