Sena, BJP tight-lipped over Dy Chairman’s post in RS

Sources further said the name of Sanjay Raut, senior Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member was doing the rounds as potential candidate for the post

With the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) walking out of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the BJP leadership has now begun sending feelers of rapprochement to its estranged ruling ally the Shiv Sena. Sources in both the estranged ruling saffron allies neither denied nor confirmed reports about the Sena being offered the post of Deputy Chairman in Rajya Sabha.

Sources further said the name of Sanjay Raut, senior Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member was doing the rounds as potential candidate for the post. However, the Sena is treading over the issue cautiously waiting for an official communique from the BJP leadership.

Post 2014 Assembly elections, the Sena has constantly been targeting the BJP government over its policy decisions. Sources in both the saffron allies argue with opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) agreeing to a pre-poll alliance and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) veering towards the NCP, the two saffron allies can ill afford to contest the ensuing polls seperately.

However, when asked about reports appearing in the section of the media, Madhav Bhandari, state BJP spokesperson and Sudhir Mungantiwar, minister for Finance both pleaded complete ignorance about the Sena being offered the Deputy Chairman’s post in the Rajya Sabha.

Raut too pleaded ignorance arguing the news has been floated in the New Delhi media circles. Sena has three Rajya Sabha members – Sanjay Raut, Anil Desai and Rajkumar Dhoot, all from Maharashtra.

Mungantiwar though admitted that following his advocacy of the need for the two saffron allies to contest the future elections together he has received favourable response from the Sena side. Incidentally Mungantiwar has been appointed as the chief negotiator by the party to negotiate with the Sena leadership over pre-poll alliance between the two saffron allies.

Sources revealed already some preliminary talks between the BJP and Sena leaders have taken place. The developments began soon after Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in January earlier this year announced the Sena would contest all the future elections on its own strength.