NCP President Sharad Pawar today questioned Shiv Sena's stand of opposing the Jaitapur atomic power project while being in alliance with BJP and once again hinted at the possibility of political realignment in Maharashtra.
Talking to reporters at Dapoli near here in Ratnagiri district, Pawar indicated that all may not be well in the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the saffron allies may part ways.
"The Shiv Sena has strong objections to the Jaitapur atomic power project though it is in power along with the BJP. It means the truth about Shiv Sena's real stand will come out in public soon. It may even separate from BJP. New alliances may be formed in Maharashtra politics or Maharashtra might face fresh elections," Pawar said.
The Sena is strongly opposed to the Jaitapur project, which is being aggressively pushed by BJP. Last month, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the proposed 10,000 MW project has now reached a stage from where there is no option of going back.
A few days ago, Pawar was reported as saying that Maharashtra politics may be heading for a political realignment with the alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena coming apart before the 2017 Mumbai civic polls. In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, BJP has 122 members, 22 short of a majority, while Sena has 63.
However, both BJP and Sena, who split before Assembly polls in October last but came together after elections, have dismissed the Maratha strongman's assertion and claimed their alliance will continue.
