RSS wants BJP to patch up with Sena, reject NCP offer
State unit prefers NCP Rajnath going to Mumbai BJP MLAs in Haryana may pick new leader today
With the impasse continuing on government formation in Maharashtra, the RSS on Monday sent out a signal that the BJP should “try and patch up” with its former Hindutva ally, the Shiv Sena. The RSS apparently made it clear it “did not approve” of the BJP taking the NCP’s support as most of its leaders faced corruption charges. Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who is considered close to the RSS, is likely to meet the RSS top brass, including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, in Nagpur on Tuesday to discuss the matter further.
However, reports reaching the BJP headquarters from Mumbai suggests that the Maharashtra state unit favours taking the support of the NCP, Independents and smaller parties. The BJP central leadership is, however, inclined to go with the Sena and leaders of the two parties are in touch with each other. Mr Gadkari, it is learnt, will also discuss with RSS leaders the state unit’s suggestion on taking NCP support from outside.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Monday that while “it was gracious of the NCP to extend support”, the BJP was yet to take a final view. The Shiv Sena, Mr Jaitley, “has been our oldest ally”.
Speculation was rife that the Sena had imposed three key conditions for supporting the BJP. It wants the post of deputy chief minister, plus some major Cabinet portfolios and it wants the BJP to give up the demand for a separate Vidharbha.
It has also pitched for another Cabinet berth at the Centre as well as a few governorships, sources in Mumbai told this newspaper. All these demands are unacceptable to the state BJP leaders, and they are insistent that the Sena’s support can only be taken if it is unconditional. The
Assembly. While BJP Maharashtra chief Devendra Fadnavis is seen as the frontrunner for chief ministership, supporters of former state unit chief Sudhir Mungantiwar and late Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja want their names to be considered.
Sources said the BJP legislature party meeting could take place after the leadership gets some indication from Nagpur on how to go about government formation. The presence of Union minister Anant Geete, the Sena’s man in the Union Cabinet, at PM Narendra Modi’s dinner on Monday was seen as a “good sign” in this regard. Though the BJP and the Shiv Sena snapped ties in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray had not pulled out his minister from the Modi Cabinet. Earlier on Monday, BJP president Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari met to discuss the Maharashtra situation. Mr Gadkari, sources said, would update the RSS top brass of developments in both Maharashtra and Haryana.
In Haryana, the BJP legislature party is expected to pick its leader on Tuesday. Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has been deputed by the central leadership as its observer to oversee the MLAs electing their leader. Former RSS pracharak Manoharlal Khattar could be the party’s face if it decides to project a non- Jat CM. State unit chief Ram Bilas Sharma is another non- Jat leader in the reckoning. Capt. Abhimanyu is the frontrunner as the party’s Jat face. Mr Khattar met Mr Amit Shah while Mr Sharma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
The BJP insisted that the legislature party meeting in both states could not take place on Monday as both the Union ministers had to attend a Cabinet meeting and later a meeting of the full council of ministers. The BJP won 47 seats in Haryana out of 90, and 122 seats in Maharashtra in the 288- member Assembly.