After a bitter split in their two-and-a-half-decade-old alliance and days of vacillation, Shiv Sena finally made up its mind to sit on opposition benches in the state legislature. Its Eknath Shinde will be the new leader of opposition.
However, both BJP and Sena leaders admit that the two parties will have to "cooperate" with each other, albeit clandestinely. Thus, BJP will be able to ensure that the Devendra Fadnavis-led minority government manages to stay afloat and push through important political decisions and legislations.
On Tuesday, Sena had fielded its candidate Vijayrao Auti for the speaker's post. But while speaking to party legislators, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had said they would wait till Wednesday morning for BJP's overtures before taking a final call on which way to vote on the no-confidence motion against the Fadnavis government. However, Auti was asked to withdraw his candidature on Wednesday, helping BJP's Haribhau Bagde get elected unopposed, though Sena decided against supporting Fadnavis.
"If BJP wants its government to stay afloat and stable for five years, it cannot afford to burn its bridge with us," said a senior Sena MLA, noting that BJP could not rely on NCP alone. Sena legislators in return can get works done in their constituencies. The Sharad Pawar-led party has promised outside, unconditional support to BJP. However, the Sena MLA ruled out chances of them being included in the government and added that "BJP would have taken us along much before if it wanted to."
"But we will have to take on BJP aggressively. Otherwise, we have no hopes of replacing them in power," he said, adding that BJP's insistence on forming a separate state of Vidarbha and a CEO for Mumbai, which have a huge emotional resonance in Maharashtra, would come handy.
Sena's aggression against BJP was on display in the assembly on Wednesday when party members decried the government for allegedly wriggling out of a poll to prove its majority in the House, choosing instead to settle for a voice vote.
"We have the strength to make people in power perspire," said Sena's stormy petrel and Erandol MLA Gulabrao Patil, adding that the party was an expert of "battles fought on the roads". He demanded justice for farmers and pointed to massive power cuts in rural areas.
Vijay Shivtare, who represents Pune's Purandhar constituency, said their "task was easy" as they would put forth allegations by Fadnavis and revenue minister Eknath Khadse against the erstwhile Congress- NCP government and question action on these issues.
"Sena has still kept a window open for rapprochement with us. They feel there may be a chance for them to move from the opposition to the treasury benches," said a BJP minister. "However, only the high command is authorised to take a call on the decision on relations with Sena. We have no authority. There is too much of bitterness (making chances of an alliance tough). There are some questions for which there are no easy answers," he said.
He admitted to unease in BJP over the party's understanding with NCP, which had been decried by prime minister Narendra Modi as a "naturally corrupt party".
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