In the middle of a bitter electoral battle in Palghar with ally Shiv Sena, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that the achievements of the Central government are a result of not just the hard work of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but also that of its allies in the State and Centre.
Mr. Fadnavis was addressing a press conference on the eve of the Palghar Lok Sabha by-election to highlight the achievements of the BJP-led central government in the last four years. “We believe that the success of the last four years belongs to all the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). But we cannot do anything, if they [the Shiv Sena] do not want to take credit for it,” the Chief Minister said.
Audio clip controversy
Despite being allies in the NDA government and in the State, the Sena and BJP have often clashed. The campaign for the Palghar by-election has intensified, with the Sena even releasing an audio clip in which Mr. Fadnavis is allegedly heard asking party activists to use any means necessary to ensure victory. However, neither party is willing to snap ties in the government.
When asked about Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s demand for an explanation of the audio clip, Mr. Fadnavis said, “A person sleeping can be woken up, but one who is pretending to be asleep cannot.”
He said the clip released by Mr. Thackeray was incomplete and had been edited. “I have the complete clip, which I will give to the Election Commission. Let the commission take the decision,” he said.
Respecting Shivaji
He also criticised the Sena chief for his remarks on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who garlanded a photograph of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj without taking offf his footwear. Mr. Fadnavis said the Jan Sangh has been worshipping Shivaji Maharaj since before the Shiv Sena’s inception. “He [Mr. Thackeray] need not tell the BJP or Yogi Adityanath about respecting Shivaji Maharaj,” he said.
Alliance not ruled out
When asked if the Sena needs the BJP more or vice versa, Mr. Fadnavis said a comparison of election data from the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in 2014 would reveal who needs whom. However, he did not rule out the possibility of an alliance for the 2019 election, saying, “I am never against an alliance with the Sena. It will help, of course.”
