Shivsena stands beside PM Modi, issues warning to Taliban

In an editorial in party's mouhpiece "Saamna", Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, "The Talibanis should not cross paths with Prime Minister Modi. Therein lies their well being. We will do all that it takes to ensure the security of our PM."

"PM Modi is on the hit-list of the Taliban as he is a staunch supporter of Hindutva," the Sena said in its mouthpiece.

Earlier this week,  Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (TTP-JA), a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, has directly threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In his twitter account, TTP-JA spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan attacked Prime Minister Modi by saying "You (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) are the killer of hundreds of Muslims. We wl take the revenge of innocent people of Kashmir and Gugrat (sic)".

Continuing with his attack, Ehsan warned that Indian targets might be next.

He wrote in Urdu, "This attack is an open message to both governments across the border. If we can attack this side, the other side could also be attacked."

The messages were posted on Sunday hours after the outfit claimed responsibility of the deadly attacks at the Wagah border on the Pakistan side, in which at least 57 people and left over 110 injured.

Ehsan's tweets were seen as a sort of 'revenge' to Modi's comments, after the latter condemned the terror attack. In micro-blogging site PM wrote, "Terror attack in Pakistan near Wagah Border is shocking. I strongly condemn such a dastardly act of terrorism."

In the mean time, Uddhav's reaction came at a time during which it's ties with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not going too well.

Sena has ben trying to mend ties with BJP, which got bitter after the break-up of their  25-yar-old grand alliance "Mahayuti" just before the Maharashtra Assembly polls owing to dis-agreement over seat-sharing, in spite of the fact that Sena still continues to be a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is enjoying power at the Centre.

Now, Shiv Sena intends to re-unite with BJP, which has formed first government in Maharashtra. Sena's support to Modi was a clear hint for a formal reunion in Maharashtra, where the parties have been inching their way to a compromise over how the Sena can join the BJP government.

Media reported that, Sena asserted to support the BJP government in Maharashtra, when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will face a trust vote on Wednesday to determine if he remains Chief Minister.  So far, his is a minority government.

The saffron party also reciprocated equally. It has been learnt that Sena leader Anil Desai can be inducted into the cabinet, which is going for its first expansion on Sunday. Sena already has a minister at the Centre in the form of Anant Geete. Apart from that BJP might contemplate to induct a third minister from the Sena.