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BJP to trump Shiv Sena as senior partner in case of reunion

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After Sunday's assembly poll results, power relations between the two big saffron parties — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena — have changed. Even if the former allies get back together to form government in Maharashtra, BJP will have the upper hand. Earlier, Sena had assumed the role of the senior partner due to its wider social base.

Sena and BJP had tied up in 1989 after an electorally unsuccessful attempt in 1984 and the saffron allies, who had one shot at power in the state, from 1995 to 1999, had stayed together despite ups and downs. They, however, parted ways before the recently concluded assembly poll over seat- and power-sharing disputes.

BJP has 122 legislators in the lower house as compared to Sena's 63. Incidentally, BJP had contested just 119 seats in the 2009 assembly poll, less than the number of seats it has won now.

A former Sena MP admitted that even if the two allies decide to join hands and put the past behind them, BJP would turn the tables on Sena in the sharing of portfolios and in power equations at large. He, however, added that despite garnering lower numbers compared to BJP, Sena had put up an impressive showing considering it was politically isolated, with all four smaller allies in the Mahayuti preferring to stick with BJP.

"We are ready to ally with BJP if we get a respectful proposal. It's for them to take a decision, our doors are open," a Sena source said. He claimed that party president Uddhav Thackeray had told his legislators that it was difficult to say if they would join hands with BJP. "Sena is a party with immense nuisance value. The power relations may change for five years (the term of the government) only. No one knows what can happen in politics later and if BJP can retain its present position at the national level," he claimed.

"This time, Uddhav has been able to prove his ability by getting 63 MLAs elected on his own strength. Earlier, Sena's success was always attributed to Balasaheb (late Sena chief Bal Thackeray), and then, Sena's sweep of 18 Lok Sabha seats was attributed to the Modi wave. Uddhav was denied a fair share of the credit," the source said.

On Monday morning, Uddhav met his party MLAs and a legislator present in a meeting said two resolutions — one which thanked people for their support and another which authorised the party president to elect the leader of the legislative party — were passed.

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