Raj angle puts BJP, Sena at loggerheads
There is widespread fear in the Shiv Sena that if tomorrow the Lok Sabha results are not up to the mark for Shiv Sena, the BJP will not hesitate to bring in Raj as a partner.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's editorial in party mouthpiece Samana on Tuesday put an end to speculation that the party was about to break its alliance with the BJP.
Praising the friendship between the Shiv Sena and BJP, Uddhav said the alliance with the BJP for Hindutva has been the longest in the country and has weathered many storms. But his parting remarks in the editorial gives a sense that he is certainly not happy with the BJP and there is a lack of trust between the longstanding friends.
With an obvious reference to the BJP, Uddhav wrote that the Shiv Sena believes in fair politics. "We have never indulged in deceitful politics of 'Mooh mein Ram, bagal me chhoori'," he said in an oblique reference to the BJP playing footsie with cousin Raj Thackeray.
Uddhav's suspicion is not unfounded since Raj Thackeray shares an excellent rapport with former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari , BJP's Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar and BJP spokesperson Shaina NC. In fact, many BJP leaders admit that they relate more with Raj Thackeray than Uddhav.
The BJP leaders complain that Uddhav is unapproachable most times, avoids communication and prefers to parley through his star personal assistant Milind Narvekar. On the other hand, Uddhav and the Shiv Sena feel that after Bal Thackeray's death, the BJP is not giving them the importance they got when Thackeray Senior was alive.
Be it supporting the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to elect the MNS's first mayor in Nasik or approaching the MNS for help in Legislative Council elections or BJP leaders' statements to invite Raj to join the Maha Yuti grand alliance in Maharashtra, these all have got the BJP negative marks in the eyes of Uddhav and his supporters.
When Maharashtra BJP's newly-elected president Devendra Fadnavis met Raj Thackeray soon after taking charge, Uddhav didn't take long to convey his disapproval to senior BJP leaders.
On the other hand, the Shiv Sena's constant interference in BJP's internal matters through the Samana added fuel to the BJP leader's anger against Uddhav. Especially when Shiv Sena earlier sided with Sushma Swaraj against BJP PM nominee Narendra Modi, the BJP openly condemned the Samana editorial and asked the Shiv Sena to mind its own business. Though now Uddhav Thackeray has tried to develop a direct rapport with Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh, it is still difficult for him have better understanding with BJP leaders from Maharashtra barring Gopinath Munde.
That is the reason why when Uddhav Thackeray asked the BJP to clarify Gadkari's meeting Raj Thackeray with a proposal of supporting NDA in Lok Sabha elections, BJP leaders didn't oblige. Uddhav had wanted BJP leaders to issue a statement saying it was Gadkari's personal effort and the party had nothing to do with it. Fadnavis issued a statement that there was no confusion between the Shiv Sena and BJP but he didn't say what Uddhav had wanted him to.
After Raj Thackeray's unilateral announcement to support Narendra Modi, Uddhav and his supporters feel that the BJP is playing a doublegame. Gadkari's meeting with Raj Thackeray gave Raj a chance to say that he tried putting up a united front against the Congress-NCP but it was the Shiv Sena that played spoilsport and, on the other hand, the BJP kept their informal friendship with MNS intact.
There is widespread fear in the Shiv Sena that if tomorrow the Lok Sabha results are not up to the mark for Shiv Sena, the BJP will not hesitate to bring in Raj as a partner. When Fadnavis met Uddhav Thackeray, he tried to reassure Uddhav that there is no confusion in the BJP at all levels regarding alliance. But Uddhav Thackeray's suspicion hasn't died down with the BJP reassurance. Just after his meeting with Fadnavis, Uddhav met Sena leaders and in a subsequent press conference, he raised two questions: 1) Who calls the shots in the BJP? 2) And who will they take support from: From people who will fight against us ? Then what's the difference between you and AAP?
It seems the BJP will have to come up with convincing answers to these questions.