After Amit Shah-Uddhav Thackeray meeting, what is next for BJP and Shiv Sena?

File Pic: BJP President Amit Shah meets Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai

Moneycontrol News 

The meeting between Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP President Amit Shah might not have yielded conclusive results, but it could have helped thaw the ice between the two parties.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis amd Uddhav Thackeray's son Aditya Thackeray also attended the meeting.

Neither side has made any official statement about the meeting, which lasted for about two hours.

The meeting with the Shiv Sena is a part of Amit Shah's initiative to reach out to allies. The recent defeat in Karnataka and in the bypolls across the country underscores the possibility of a united opposition front in 2019.

The Shiv Sena is unlikely to change its stance about contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections alone.

A day after the meeting was held, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut reiterated the Sena's decision about next year's general elections.

"We know what the agenda of Amit Shah ji is but Shiv Sena has passed a resolution that we'll contest all upcoming elections on our own. There will be no change in that resolution," Raut told Deccan Chronicle.

But both News 18 and PTI quoted sources as saying that the meeting was a positive one. This indicates that there is a possibility of the tensions between the two long-standing allies abating.

The Shiv Sena and the BJP could hold two or three more such meetings, PTI reported.

The two parties also discussed impending cabinet expansion and possible seat sharing in 2019, News18 quoted sources as saying.

For the BJP, reaching out to its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is crucial if it wants to be secure a second consecutive term at the Centre.

The Shiv Sena, which has made quite a few negative comments about the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, needs to decide if it wants to continue with its decision to contest the 2019 elections by itself.

It could be a while before the Shiv Sena provides clarity on its equation with the BJP.