Party has demanded CM candidate be fielded from Sena, and LS, Assembly polls be held jointly
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has conveyed its message loud and clear to the BJP leadership that it takes two to tango. Thackeray has in the past few days expressed that if the BJP wants to ally with the Sena, it will have to conduct the fast-approaching Lok Sabha and the state Assembly elections jointly.
The Sena big fish has also demanded implementation of the Karnataka formula in the state. Interestingly, many Shiv Sena ministers and MLAs are against the Saffron alliance. But the Member of Parliament is in favour of alliance for general elections.
A senior Sena minister, who is also close to Matoshree, told DNA that he was against the alliance discussed in the recent meeting between Sena leaders and Thackeray. "I advised the leadership against the alliance with BJP. BJP is not a trustworthy party anymore. They have not let us work freely. Besides, once the BJP come with full force in power, then they will finish the Sena," the minister said on the condition of anonymity.
Sources have informed that Sena top leadership is of the approach that it is the BJP that needs the alliance. "In Karnataka, Congress, despite winning the most seats than its smaller allies — Janata Dal, offered the CM post to them. Similarly, in Maharashtra, Sena should be given the chief ministerial post irrespective of seats of any party in state Assembly elections. Sena will in turn support the BJP to form the NDA in Delhi. And state and national elections should be held together. Once this is materialised, a joint press conference will be addressed by BJP president, Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai," sources from Sena said.
Meanwhile, the BJP will not let the post of CM for Sena. Senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil said they are ready to fight with Sena but chief minister post should be given to the party that wins majority of votes.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is also not in favour to contest the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections jointly. Fadnavis has already conveyed to his party leadership. Sources said that CM Fadnavis feels that like Madhya Pradesh, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chavan despite good work and popularity, lost the elections due to notebandi and GST. Fadnavis does not want to face the double whammy. But central leadership of the BJP is forcing him to have joint polls so they can take the Sena along in polls which is very crucial for them. Therefore, recently, Fadnavis was called urgently in Delhi to discuss this crucial matter of dissolving assembly and cementing alliance with Sena " sources in BJP revealed.
NCP chief Jayant Patil also claimed that few days back, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and CM Fadnavis had the secret meeting at midnight in hotel Sofitel at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Both the parties leaders neither openly denied and condemned this mid night meeting for alliance in five star hotel news.
Another Sena leader said that even though the Sena and BJP decides to contest the Lok Sabha polls jointly after so much public bickering, allegations and counter allegations, the ground network of both parties will not get gel easily. "The top leadership is having another round of military secrete talk inThe talk between the BJP and Shiv Sena is in progress. Sena has demanded the both the Lok sabha and state assembly elections together and the Sena should be given the chief minister post as per the Karnataka formula where the small party Janata Dal got the CM post with the backing of Congress Party. While BJP centre leadership is toying with idea and next week, the final decisions likely to be taken in this regards. Sena has told them you take responsibility of centre while state should be given to Sena even though they get less number of seats. Next week where most of the things will be sorted out. Congress and the NCP has already started their campaign so we cannot afford to have luxurious delay in process," said sources in Sena.
RESTORING TIES
- Sources say CM Fadnavis is not in favour of the Saffron alliance
- But the central leadership finds Sena support to be crucial
- The CM was recently called to Delhi to discuss cementing ties with Sena
- NCP chief claimed that Thackeray and the CM secretly held discussions
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 "Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray")
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