Mumbai: A day after its 25-year-old alliance with the BJP came to an end, what was considered unthinkable till recently may happen in Maharashtra - Shiv Sena joining hands with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Sources told Zee Media that the estranged Thackeray brothers may arrive at an understanding so as to minimise collateral damage from the split in the saffron alliance.
The Sena has reasons to worry about politics without the BJP, at least in the short term, as the party is in power in 12 municipal corporations with support from the BJP, including in Mumbai and Thane.
As per the new arrangement, the MNS may extend support to Shiv Sena wherever it can make a difference and the MNS in turn will get support from Sena in Nashik where it is in power.
However, the bigger import of the developing alliance can't be missed. Raj Thackeray had walked out of the Shiv Sena after party patriarch Bal Thackeray anointed his son Uddhav as his political heir.
Since then both Raj and Uddhav have fought a battle of one-upmanship. While Raj got to play the role of spoiler in 2009 assembly elections when his party weaned away enough votes to ensure defeat of the Sena-BJP combine, Uddhav came back in the game after a splendid outing in the Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the buzz in political circles also points to the possibility of the Sena and the BJP joining hands post elections. However, for the record both sides are saying that the split is final and for real.
"Our other (mahayuti) alliance parties wanted the Sena-BJP combine to continue. More than that, it was what the 11 crore people of Maharashtra wanted. Those who trampled these sentiments are enemies of Maharashtra," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.
"This (breaking of alliance) is an insult to the 105 Marathi martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement," Sena said, adding, "It is unfortunate that the Sena-BJP alliance which for the last 25 years was bound by the Hindutva ideology has ended."
"Those who till yesterday were praying in this tent are now offering namaz in the other tent."
In the edit, the Sena proclaimed itself as "the real protector of Maharasthra" through its army of Shiv sainiks (soldiers).
"Now, Pitru Paksh is over... Everybody's ancestors came in the form of crows and feasted on food and sweets before leaving happily... Only the political descendents were not ready to make any adjustments in the matter of seat-sharing."
The BJP has also announced that the party would not criticize Shiv Sena during the campaign and remain friends. “Our aim is to prevent the corrupt Congress-NCP government from coming to power. We will not criticize Shiv Sena during the campaign, we don’t want any bitterness with our ally of 25 years,” said Eknath Khadse.
BJP demands President's Rule
A delegation of state BJP leaders met Maharashtra Governor CV Rao on Friday to urge him to impose President's Rule in the state.
The delegation was led by senior party leader Eknath Khadse. Party leaders told the Governor that in view of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) withdrawing support to the Congress, the Prithiviraj Chavan government is now in a minority hence should be dismissed.
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