Mumbai: Even as the Shiv Sena gave a breather to the BJP by deciding not to put up candidates against Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh, it will contest the Lok Sabha elections on 20 seats in Uttar Pradesh and five in Bihar.
"We have our alliance with BJP in Maharashtra, not in UP. We will strive to expand our party in other parts of the country. Shiv Sena will field 20 candidates in Uttar Pradesh," Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut told reporters.
Earlier in the day, there were reports that Shiv Sena may put up candidates against Modi and Rajnath from Varanasi and Lucknow. But party chief Uddhav Thackeray told the Sena UP in-charge to not do the same.
The Shiv Sena, however, said that the party needs to expand and so will field candidates in many states including Bihar, Delhi, Punjab and UP. It will also put up candidates in Kerala, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
Shiv Sena is said to be miffed due to the recent strain developed in the relations between Uddhav and Gadkari over the latter's luncheon meeting with the MNS chief in Mumbai on March 3.
Meanwhile, Uddhav's son and Yuva Sena president Aaditya Thackeray in a tweet said that Sena would not field candidates against BJP's prime ministerial nominee Modi (who will contest LS election from Varanasi in UP) and saffron party chief Rajnath Singh (contesting from Lucknow).
"Those who even believe such funny rumours, well, I feel sorry for them. Therefore, obv not contesting in Varanasi and Lucknow," Aaditya tweeted.
(With inputs from PTI)
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