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'We don't want unstable government': Shiv Sena won't rock BJP boat in Maharashtra

The strategy is to try appropriate the opposition space by launching vitriolic attacks on the government even as it enjoys the fruits of being in power

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Uddhav Thackeray
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Despite its decision to snap ties with the BJP for the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other civic bodies in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena will not pull out from the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government. The strategy is to try appropriate the opposition space by launching vitriolic attacks on the government even as it enjoys the fruits of being in power.

Though Shiv Sena on Friday boycotted a meeting of the MPs from the state called by Chief Minister Fadnavis ahead of the Parliament's Budget session, Sena sources admitted that they would not leave the treasury benches anytime soon. "We don't want an unstable government in the state as it could hurt the interests of the farmers and the working class," said Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut. Sena has five cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state in the Fadnavis government.

Though Raut said that it is not possible to say how long this "support" will continue, sources said that the party fears a likely churn within once it is out of power. Incidentally, the party had not asked Anant Geete, who is the Minister for Heavy Industries in the Narendra Modi government, to quit even after the acrimonious breakup of the two parties before the Assembly polls.

A Sena leader also shared the apprehension in party ranks that BJP could poach on its legislators to shore up their numbers in the Assembly. Alternatively, the BJP could also also lean on an eager NCP led by Sharad Pawar to sail past the halfway mark. He noted that there was latent resentment among the Sena's rural legislators over the Mumbai-centric leadership in the party and the government.

Another Sena leader said that in case the party falls short of the halfway mark in the BMC polls, there is always a chance of two parties again coming together.

The BJP, however, is unperturbed by the turn of events. "The BJP enjoys the support of four MLAs from smaller parties and 10 independents and is just 10 short of halfway mark 145. Even if the Sena and Congress join hands, they will have 105 MLAs as against the BJP's 122. If the NCP choses to abstain, we will comfortably win the floor test," said a BJP leader.

According to Sena sources, going solo would mean that the fight would essentially be between the Sena and BJP, there by pushing Raj Thackeray-led MNS—which is a contender for the Sena's core Marathi vote-base—and the Congress out of the fray and appropriating the political space. The party is banking on Maharashtrian vs non-Maharashtrian undercurrent to overcome the anti-incumbency factor after ruling the cash-rich civic body for two decades (four consecutive terms).

Meanwhile, upping the ante against the Shiv Sena, BJP Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya said they would release a "black paper" on the maladministration and "mafiagiri" in the Sena-run BMC. "We cannot help it if anyone is feeling inconvenienced by our demand for transparency," he told DNA.

The Sena-BJP combine has been ruling the BMC since 1997. Before that, in 1985, the Sena romped to power on its own and in 1989, it entered into an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra. However, during the 1992 BMC elections, the two parties fought separately and the Congress wrested control over the civic body.

Divorce matters

  • The 2014 Assembly polls saw BJP gaining upper hand over Shiv Sena after the two went solo.
     
  • BJP then secured 122 seats, while Sena ended up as a distant two with 63.
     
  • Sena also lost the edge in Mumbai, where it has 14 MLAs, one less that the BJP's 15.
     
  • This led to BJP demanding that it gets to contest from half of the BMC's 227 seats.
     
  • Sena, however, was willing to give BJP just 60 seats compared to the 70 in 2012 polls.
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