Desai scoffs at reports on Sena-BJP coming together to form govt in Maha
A day after CM Uddhav Thackeray’s meeting with PM Modi, veteran Minister of Industries Subhash Desai on Saturday scoffed at speculation over rapprochement between Shiv Sena and BJP in Maharashtra. Instead, Desai said had the BJP not betrayed Sena after the October Assembly election, there would have been different picture in the state. He also made it clear Sena will not listen to BJP’s call to come back to the fold of its old ally.
On the other hand, state NCP minister Jayant Patil said the MVA govt is functioning smoothly without any problem among the allies — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Patil clarified there is no friction among the alliance partners. Statements by Desai and Patil assume significance in the light of media reports that Thackeray’s stand on the implementation of CAA and NPR is in line with the BJP and former partners may rejoin hands together in Maharashtra.
Clarification by Desai and Patil comes close on the heels of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi’s observation that the tenure of Devendra Fadnavis as ‘ex-chief minister of Maharashtra’ is for a limited period only. “It is not his fate to be the Leader of the Opposition or an ex-chief minister for very long. Both these are of short durations, political ups and downs are part of a democracy,” Joshi said.
Joshi’s comments on Fadnavis seem to indicate a political upheaval vis-a-vis the ruling Sena-NCP-Congress’ MVA.
Thackeray had allayed fears over the implementation of CAA and NPR saying they are not going through anyone out of the country. However, Congress and NCP are strongly against its implementation in the state. Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has argued Thackeray must strongly oppose CAA that came into effect last year.