With the newly elected BJP MLAs set to elect their leader paving way for formation of a new government in the state, an over-anxious Shiv Sena, which wants to return to the BJP fold as a partner in the new regime, is tying itself in knots on how to go about it.
Haughtiness of its leader Uddhav Thackeray has made the task even more complicated. Barring a courtesy call to the BJP President Amit Shah on the night election results were out, he has done precious little to reach out to the BJP in concrete terms.
The Sena mouth-piece which initially mocked at the so-called `Modi wave' has been attempting a course-correction but it is being nullified by reckless statements of some of senior party leaders. For instance on Monday a senior leader had gone to the extent of saying that if Mr. Modi can engage to the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif why can't Sena and BJP talk.
“ Modi has decided to change the cultural face of this nation and as a result events like Diwali-milan are taking place in Delhi. This is a positive sign” ”
On Tuesday, Saamna , the party organ, sought to praise Mr. Modi for asserting the cultural identity of Hindus. "Modi has decided to change the cultural face of this nation and as a result events like Diwali-milan are taking place in Delhi. This is a positive sign”.
It contended that Hindu community is excited that the Prime Minister himself is celebrating festivals like Diwali and Dussehra. “That is the reason why we are praising Mr. Modi,” said an editorial, adding that this year the political Iftar parties were deserted. “This is an important change,” it said.
Ironically, it was the party president Uddhav Thackeray who had launched a bitter attack against the BJP. He had even called the BJP leaders as the forces of mughal worrior Afzal Khan, who had attacked Maharashtra at the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji. In an interview to Saamna , Mr. Thackeray had said that if a tea-seller can become prime minister, why can’t I become chief minister?
Praising Mr. Modi for his actions to improve the condition of poor in this country, the editorial said that such schemes should be prioritized.
“ Congress used to celebrate Iftar as if it was a national festival. It was more about vote bank politics than actual love for Muslims. This vote bank politics is over because of Mr. Modi ”
“Congress used to celebrate Iftar as if it was a national festival. It was more about vote bank politics than actual love for Muslims. This vote bank politics is over because of Mr. Modi,” the editorial said.
FAQ on the BJP-Sena split
Maharashtra went to the polls on October 15, 2014. For the first time in two decades, it witnessed a five-cornered contest as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena ended their 25-year alliance (and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress their 15-year coalition) and with Maharashtra Navanirman Sena also being in the fray. On October 19 the results of the Maharashtra bypolls were announced and the BJP won in a simple majority with 123 seats while the Shiv Sena won 63.
What led to the BJP-Sena split?
The main reason for the split was the failure to reach a consensus over seat-sharing for the Assembly elections. While the BJP demanded at least 130 seats, Shiv Sena refused to give its ally more than 119. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray expressed his desire for the Chief Minister’s post, which the BJP refused to accept.
What’s the status quo?
On October 27th, the Shiv Sena announced that it will support any CM candidate from the BJP. Even as a section of the BJP State unit continues to lobby for a minority government in Maharashtra with the help of Independents, the party announced that it wanted a tie-up with its estranged ally, the Shiv Sena. However, this announcement came with the rider that the Sena should come on board without any conditions.
How did the parties come together in Maharashtra 25 years ago?
The BJP and Shiv Sena came together to forge an alliance in Maharashtra in 1989. Shiv Sena had always had the upper hand among the two parties in the State, with major share of the seats going to the Sena. The Sena came to power in 1995, and stayed in power for a term. Though they were out of the hot seat for the last 15 years, together they were strong as the opposition party. Shiv Sena was part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, the relationship has faced many ups and downs over the years. After Bal Thackeray’s death in 2012, former BJP president Nitin Gadkari was against continuing the alliance with the Sena’s new chief Uddhav Thackeray.
