Raut meets Priyanka, hints at alliance with Cong in UP, Goa

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had an hour-long meeting with Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday to explore the option of an electoral alliance in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Goa.

Soon after meeting, Raut hinted at a pre-poll alliance with the Congress in UP and Goa, stating that the parties are thinking of working together in both the states that are scheduled to go to assembly polls early next year.

However, he said that the final decision will be taken only after talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

While talking to ANI, Raut said, "It was a positive meeting. We are thinking of working together in Uttar Pradesh and Goa. Along with the discussion on the politics of the country, there were talks about the assembly elections to be held in Uttar Pradesh and Goa elections. If possible, Shiv Sena and Congress will fight the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Goa together."

"We want to work together with the Congress and let's see if anything happens," he added.

The meeting comes a day after Raut's talks with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

The Shiv Sena leader told reporters that Priyanka Gandhi discussed the political situation in UP and other poll-bound states with him.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls next year amid the Congress' assertions of going it alone.

Both the Shiv Sena and the Congress are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.

Raut's back-to-back meetings with the Congress leaders have triggered the buzz of the Sena formally joining the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) amid a challenge posed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the grand old party as regards the leadership of the Opposition alliance.

However, Raut evaded a reply on the possibility of the Sena joining the Congress-led UPA.

He said he would discuss certain issues with party supremo Thackeray first.

The Shiv Sena is keen to expand its footprint in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa.

During his meeting with Rahul on Tuesday, Raut had asked him to reach out to other anti-Bharatiya Janata Party forces to join the Congress-led alliance.

The Sena recently won its first Lok Sabha seat outside Maharashtra when Kalaben Delkar trounced the BJP candidate in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli bypoll.

-- with ANI inputs