BJP not in touch with Uddhav Thackeray, strongly with Shinde Sena: Piyush Goyal

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday dismissed rumours that the BJP has been in contact with Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena behind closed doors.
At a Business Today event, Goyal was asked about possible alliances if the BJP falls short of a majority in the upcoming Maharashtra elections. Piyush Goyal stated, “I can very categorically state that there is absolutely no behind-the-scenes discussion, dialogue, or contact. We are strongly with the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena, we have no relations with the faction of the Shiv Sena left behind.”
He emphasised that the BJP remains aligned with the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, whose election symbol is the bow and arrow, reflecting the principles of Bal Thackeray.
“I can assure you that with the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party, the RPI(A), and BJP are jointly presenting a very strong front,” Goyal noted, highlighting that Maharashtra’s people seek continuity in the “good work” done by the alliance and an administration that aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.
Looking ahead to the Maharashtra Assembly polls on November 20, Goyal expressed strong optimism.
“What I can tell you is what will happen on November 23 is a clean sweep by the Mahayuti,” he stated, referring to the coalition comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, and other allies.
The Maharashtra elections comes just months after the Lok Sabha election, where the Opposition alliance had outperformed the Mahayuti. Piyush Goyal, however, remains optimistic about the upcoming Assembly elections.
“The difference in votes (in Lok Sabha polls) was only two lakhs; and more so, I think, tactically, they [MVA] were able to get better results in certain areas,” Goyal remarked, adding that the BJP lost 11 seats in the last election due to small margins.
Piyush Goyal praised the Mahayuti alliance’s unity and asserted that it is focused on Maharashtra’s progress. “All the parties in the alliance are working towards a common goal to continue to bring progress in Maharashtra, continue the great infrastructure story, and continue to bring jobs, industry, and investment into the state,” he said.
He underscored that Maharashtra’s status as India’s top-ranked state remains central to the alliance’s objectives.
The Maharashtra election will see voting across all 288 Assembly constituencies on November 20, with votes counted on November 23.