The tough talking by BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Gopinath Munde on Tuesday on the fate of the saffron alliance had its salutary effect on tempering the bravado exhibited by the Shiv Sena on Monday night.
Both caution that if should an eventuality arise, they have strategies to go it alone
The tough talking by BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Gopinath Munde on Tuesday on the fate of the saffron alliance had its salutary effect on tempering the bravado exhibited by the Shiv Sena on Monday night. Both the Shiv Sena and BJP leaders admitted their relations have soured, but it has not yet reached boiling point. Officially, both the parties have ruled out immediate split in their alliance, but cautioned that should such an eventuality arises they have alternative strategies to go alone.
Barely 24 hours after extending its support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray took up a major damage control exercise. On Tuesday morning, Thackeray called BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde to explain the rationale behind supporting Patil. On its part, the BJP declared that “it will review the BJP-Sena alliance after presidential polls on July 19.”
A senior state leader speaking to DNA on conditions of anonymity said, “We can understand the confused state of mind under which the Sena had to take the decision to support Patil. But how could they use adjectives like ‘saudebaj’ (wheeler-dealer) against Shekhawatji and accuse us of indulging in character assassination of a woman (Patil).”
However, the BJP cadre are upset with the Sena that they have urged its leaders to break the alliance in BMC (Mumbai). Similarly, the BJP should also teach them the lessons in other municipal corporations by breaking alliance.”
The BJP has reconciled to chart out its own political roadmap for 2009 state assembly elections with or without Sena. As BJP poll managers said, “Sena’s soft stand towards NCP helps us to position as the real Opposition party in state.”
According to BJP’s calculations, “ Of the total 54 seats in state assembly won in 2004 elections only 17 seats required the support of Sena.” Undaunted with the Sena’s threat to fight the next elections on its own steam, the BJP maintained, “If Sena looks for support from NCP, we will also tap potential local outfits to consolidate our base.”
However,observers said, “Sena-BJP divide will have a cascading impact It will give rise to new political permutations.”
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