BJP would come to power in Maharashtra: Venkaiah Naidu

Hyderabad, Oct 6: Regretting that BJP-Shiv Sena alliance could not continue in Maharashtra, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday expressed confidence that his party would come to power on its own in the western state.

"I have full confidence that BJP government would be formed in Maharashtra. Our alliance with Shiv Sena was there for 25 years. It is unfortunate. Shiv Sena could not understand the prevailing situation. I would like to tell the reason. In the present Maharashtra Assembly, BJP's strength is more than Shiv Sena. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, BJP got six seats more than Shiv Sena," Naidu told reporters.

"Still, we said you be in number one position. You take maximum number of seats. In the number two position, we fought in 119 seats earlier, BJP would fight in 130 seats and you fight in the remaining seats. But, they said no. It was unreasonable. That's why it could not happen. Still, we don't want to make it an issue," he said.

"People of Maharashtra should be freed from Congress. I am fully confident that it will be a Congress-free Maharashtra," the BJP leader further said. Replying to a query, Naidu said "it would be good if both Thackerays (Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS leader Raj Thackeray) become one."

PTI