Won’t let anyone divide Maha: Sena warns BJP

As their tussle over seat-sharing for assembly polls has taken a bitter turn, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday warned ally BJP that it would not let them or any one else divide Maharashtra and carve out a separate Vidarbha state out of it.

Two days after Congress launched its poll campaign vowing to keep Maharashtra united, the Sena, in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, said it would oppose anyone who wants to split the state.

The editorial patted Congress leader Ashok Chavan for opposing Vidarbha despite their political differences. “Ashok Chavan propagated the idea of united Maharashtra for which we praise him. But he also alleged that BJP is trying to divide Maharashtra. Whether it is BJP or anyone else, we will never allow such a dream to come true,” it said.

Shiv Sena is the only party that has constantly opposed creation of Vidarbha state and still managed to win assembly and Lok Sabha seats in the region. BJP leaders have been promising statehood for the backward region. According to sources, Sena is now using the Vidarbha

SENA IS THE ONLY PARTY THAT HAS CONSTANTLY OPPOSED CREATION OF VIDARBHA STATE AND MANAGED TO WIN ASSEMBLY AND LS SEATS IN THE REGION

card to mount pressure on the BJP and the Congress’ stand on the issue will only help them further.

The statement comes a day before Amit Shah’s maiden visit to Mumbai as party national president. The Sena was kept in the dark about the Thursday visit, and is not very pleased about it since it represents moving away from the tradition where national leaders would visit Matoshree when late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was around.

The allies are currently facing a logjam over seat-sharing. Sena is in no mood to accept the BJP demand for more seats, saying it cannot go against the traditional seat sharing formula.

Meanwhile state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis skipped an event he was supposed to attend with Shiv-Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday citing personal reasons.