Discords put Sena-BJP alliance revival talks on hold

While Sena claims BJP has not offered anything concrete, BJP wants deal on civic body elections

Estranged partners Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have suspended that the negotiations for revival of their alliance and the latter’s participation in the Maharashtra  government for now, owing to strong differences.

BJP wants a long-term road map for the alliance with Sena in elections to the local bodies to avoid any confrontation, while the Sena is keen to discuss allocation of ministries and the number of party legislators to be inducted in the Devendra Fadnavis government.

BJP and Sena agreed they should remain together on the Hindutva issue but the talks did not progress on the latter’s participation in the state government. A section of BJP is mounting pressure on the central and state leadership to not take Sena support. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with 41 legislators, has extended support to the state government from outside.

Chief Minister Fadnavis told Business Standard: “BJP's leadership from the Centre and the state are quite keen on Sena’s participation in the state government. However, both parties need to finalise a long-term road map for their relationship in the civic and local bodies, so the alliance remains intact at the level of government and downwards.”

The talks between the two parties had resumed on Friday after a long gap. BJP was represented by Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan and state cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray led the talks for his party. They held meeting for one-and-a-half hours at Thackeray’s residence in northwest Mumbai. Thackeray asked Pradhan and Patil whether they had the necessary powers to negotiate and commit to something.

Thereafter, Sena minister Anant Geete in the Union Cabinet and senior party leader Subhash Desai  separately held a meeting with Pradhan but failed to arrive at an understanding.

Shiv Sena member of Parliament (MP) Anil Desai disclosed there had not been any concrete offer from BJP. He admitted there were no talks currently underway.

Another Sena MP, Anand Adsul, took an aggressive stand, saying BJP should no more humiliate the Sena but respect its former ally. “BJP should offer the post of deputy chief minister and provide key ministries including home in the state Cabinet,” he added.

Sena legislator Ramdas Kadam alleged BJP was not serious on Sena’s participation in the state Cabinet. He said Thackeray would take a final decision.

The timing for the resumption of talks was crucial when Sena was stepping up its attack against the BJP government ahead of the ensuing winter session of the state legislature on a number of issues. including drought in Vidarbha and Marathwada, slow pace of implementation of relief and rehabilitation measures, lapses in law and order situation.

Incidentally, Shinde today announced that Shiv Sena will sit in the opposition and grill the government on various issues in the winter session slated to begin from December 8 at Nagpur. Further, Fadnavis has indicated that he has to expand his 9 member cabinet indicating that may take place between December 3 and 5.