Sena minister Eknath Shinde "resigned" in protest, alleging that the BJP was using the police machinery to clamp down on Shiv Sainiks.
On Friday, a day before the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena government celebrates its first anniversary, there were fireworks, albeit of a different kind.
Sena minister Eknath Shinde "resigned" in protest, alleging that the BJP was using the police machinery to clamp down on Shiv Sainiks.
Locked in an intense battle for the Kalyan-Dombivli civic body, the Shiv Sena and BJP went for each other's jugular, with Sena president Uddhav Thackeray threatening to bring down the government if acted in masti (arrogance). Fadnavis retaliated by calling his ally a natak (drama) company. The polling will take place on Sunday.
Threats apart, Shiv Sena sources admit that the party, which shed its status as the principal opposition in the Assembly to join the BJP-led government, may not walk out in the immediate future despite the leaders of the two parties trading barbs for months. However, a likely flashpoint may arise in the 2017 BMC polls.
"I can't watch the injustice meted out to our workers with open eyes. I can't sit next to them (BJP) in the government and the cabinet," said Shinde during a rally on Friday.
Between Shinde and Fadnavis, there is a history. Shinde had stopped attending cabinet meetings for a while protesting against the government not heeding requests from legislators. This "boycott" was withdrawn after Fadnavis heeded these requests, claimed Shinde's aides.
"I am a Shiv Sainik first and a minister later. So, I know the pain and sentiments of a Shiv Sainik," said Shinde, who submitted his resignation to Uddhav.
However, this "resignation" was seen as a stunt. Technically, it has to be submitted to the chief minister, who then forwards it to the Governor with his recommendation.
That the resignation was a stunt became clear when Uddhav said: "You were not made a minister by the BJP but by the Shiv Sena and Shiv Sainiks." Uddhav then said he was turning down the resignation. The Sena president attacked the police and Thane commissioner Parambir Singh for allegedly colluding with the BJP.
"If Shiv Sainiks are externed, I will extern the government... If I feel that the government is acting out of arrogance, then I will withdraw support to it and ensure that it is brought to the road," threatened Uddhav.
Fadnavis, showing uncharacteristic aggression, called the Sena a "drama troupe" and said they were not afraid of the Sena's threats.
The Shiv Sena and BJP have exchanged similar barbs in Kolhapur, whose municipal corporation will also go to polls with Kalyan- Dombivali.
Rejecting allegations of goondaism by BJP workers and the police levelled by Shinde and the Sena, he charged that Sena workers had bashed up a BJP activist and tried to crush the brother-in-law of a BJP candidate under a vehicle.
"In 2004, who called Javed Miandad home for meals? The pitches at Wankhede and Firozshah Kotla were dug up and (underworld don) Dawood Ibrahim's samdhi Javed Miandad was called home for meals," attacked Fadnavis while trying to blow the bottom out of the Sena's opposition to sporting and cultural ties with Pakistan, which have seen a face-off between the two parties in Maharashtra.
That's D company making an entry.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Devendra-Uddhav")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}