Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) The Shiv Sena will conduct a public outreach campaign from July 12 to 24 to strengthen the organization and expand its base, senior party leader Anil Desai told reporters here on Thursday.

Sena president and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray addressed district chiefs of the party virtually during the day and asked them to strengthen the organization at the grass-root level, he said.

"This `Shiv-Sampark' campaign will also help the party prepare for the upcoming local body polls," Desai said.

Asked if the party, which heads the ruling coalition which includes the NCP and Congress, will contest coming polls on its own, he said strengthening of the party base did not mean it was planning to go it alone.

"We are in an alliance and our leaders will take a call on alliance for elections," he said.

About the Enforcement Directorate questioning NCP leader Eknath Khadse in connection with a land deal, Desai said political vendetta should be avoided.

On the new cooperation ministry formed by the Union government, he said cooperation is a state subject.

"If the Union ministry helps strengthen the sector, it it is good, but there should not be encroachment on the states' rights," the Sena leader said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)