BJP on its way out in UP, we will have key role in govt formation: Shiv Sena's Anil Thakur

In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, State President of the Shiv Sena in Uttar Pradesh, Thakur Anil Singh said that the BJP was 'full of lies'. "The BJP has failed on all fronts (in UP). The BJP government is on its way out in the state. If there is a situation like hung assembly in the state, then there should be unity like in Maharashtra,” Singh said.

Lucknow: As the 2nd phase of voting in the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh came to an end on Monday, the state Shiv Sena chief Thakur Anil Singh said that the incumbent BJP government is “on its way out”, adding that the saffron party had “failed on all fronts”.

In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, State President of the Shiv Sena in Uttar Pradesh, Thakur Anil Singh said that the BJP was 'full of lies'. "The BJP has failed on all fronts (in UP). The BJP government is on its way out in the state. If there is a situation like hung assembly in the state, then there should be unity like in Maharashtra,” Singh said.

If there is a situation like Hung Assembly in the state, then there should be unity like in Maharashtra,” Singh added. Shiv Sena is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition of the Congress, the NCP and the Sena, formed in 2019. Sena had severed its ties with the alliance partner turned foe BJP after 35 years over seat-sharing in the 2019 general elections. Singh alleged the BJP “stabbed us in the back”.

"Bala Sahib (Sena founder) had said that Maharashtra is ours and Rashtra is yours. That is why we made the BJP grow. When the BJP stabbed us in the back, stole donations, scams in temples and trust lands, we got rid of them,” he said.

In UP, the Sena has fielded 100 candidates in the ongoing assembly polls. And the State Sena President claimed that the party will play a key role in the government formation. “Whether our party comes to power or not, but we are going to play an important role in the next government,” he said.

The first of the 7-phase UP assembly polls in the 403 assembly constituencies began on February 10. In the 2nd phase scheduled on February 14, 55 assembly seats are going to polls whereas voting will be held in 59 assembly seats in the 3rd phase on February 20, as many seats in the 4th phase on February 23, 61 seats in the 5th phase on February 27, 57 in 6th phase on March 3 and 54 assembly seats on March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.