The BJP on Friday formally commenced talks with its estranged ally, the Shiv Sena, on the terms of latter’s participation in the Fadvanis government, with two senior leaders of the party holding parleys with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
However, after the talks neither side was willing to say anything.
Going by reports in the BJP camp, it was more of a hearing out exercise on what the Sena expects for it to be part of the State government. Emissaries of BJP president Amit Shah (Dharmendra Pradhan and Chandrakant Patil), who met the Sena chief at his residence, would convey to the central leadership Mr. Thackeray’s expectations.
Mr. Shah is scheduled to be here on Saturday for a programme that was fixed earlier.
However, they have not been able to arrive at an understanding on the contours of how the Sena could be accommodated in the government. The Sena chose to play the waiting game after the BJP had made it known that it would not accept any conditions, ignoring its demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister and some other key portfolios in the ministry.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not only said that the BJP wanted the Sena to be part of the government, but also expressed confidence that the initiative to bring it on board would succeed. The Fadnavis government wants to be on surer wicket before the December 8 Assembly session in Nagpur.
If it succeeds in persuading the Sena to come on board, the government can breathe easy.