The Sena, like many other political parties, had strongly condemned the slapping of Sharad Pawar by Harvinder Singh.
NCP president Sharad Pawar’s MP daughter Supriya Sule’s meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Sunday has created a flutter in the state Congress.
The NCP-Sena proximity ahead of the seat-sharing talks between the two ruling parties has led some sections within the Congress to question if their alliance partner has some hidden agenda in the local bodies elections.
Shortly after meeting the members of the Thackeray family, Sule said: “It was just a courtesy call. I came to express our gratitude for the support given by Balasaheb Thackeray to Sharad Pawar.”
The Sena, like many other political parties, had strongly condemned the slapping of Pawar by Harvinder Singh.
Thackeray had described Pawar as the tallest leader of Maharashtra whose insult the Marathi manoos would not tolerate.
Notwithstanding the explanation given by the NCP, this development has triggered speculations about a larger agenda behind such a gesture.
MPCC general secretary Sanjay Dutt said, “We have nothing to comment since Sule has made it clear that it was just a courtesy call.”
However, political managers in the Congress have begun to question why Sule chose the Thackerays to personally convey her thanks. After all, politicians across parties had extended their support to Pawar after the ugly incident in New Delhi.
Various theories are being discussed in political circles. A senior BJP leader said, “It is anybody’s guess. Why should Pawar make the Congress stronger in local bodies polls?”
When contacted, Sena leader said, “We have always appealed to the NCP to dissociate from the Congress which has always undermined the leadership of Pawar.”
Sources in the Congress maintained that since the Congress and the NCP were in the process of seat-sharing, it could be a pressure tactic by the later to have its way. On condition of anonymity, an AICC functionary said, “In the last BMC elections, the two parties failed to have an alliance because of differences over seat-sharing. Even now, it appears that the NCP is trying to signal that their options are open if we don’t give in to their demands. The Congress can be accommodative provided the NCP accepts they are weak in Mumbai.”
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