Prabhu joins BJP but Sena dithers
MUMBAI: A spat between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena over Cabinet expansion at the Centre on Sunday is likely to cast a shadow over the BJP-led minority government in Maharashtra that faces a trust vote this week.
The Devendra Fadnavis government may be on shaky ground without the Sena backing it, as the NCP, which has offered support, is considered unreliable by several BJP leaders, analysts said.
Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai, who was reportedly to be sworn in as a minister of state, was asked to fly back to Mumbai as party chief Uddhav Thackeray wanted a Cabinet portfolio. The BJP chose to give that spot to Suresh Prabhu, who quit the Sena minutes later.
“It is unfortunate that the Sena dishonoured the PM’s invitation (for swearing-in). We are disheartened to know the Sena’s decision,” Fadnavis told the media at the BJP office before party leaders gathered for a pre-
HINDUTVA POWERS SHOULD BE UNITED AND IF BJP WANTS TO GO WITH NCP THEN OUR PATHS WILL BE DIFFERENT.
UDDHAV THACKERAY, Sena chief
assembly session meeting.
The chasm widened with Thackeray saying his party would sit in Opposition in Maharashtra if the BJP accepts NCP’s support, as the Sena blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party for a “host of broken promises” and heaping “humiliation after humiliation” on it.
“We are in favour of bringing in a stable government. But if the BJP decides to take direct or indirect support from the NCP which is an anti-Hindutva party, then Shiv Sena will go against the trust vote,” the Sena chief said at a press conference in Mumbai after meeting his legislators.
The two parties have been haggling over a formula to form the government in Maharashtra after the BJP ended their 25-yearold alliance days ahead of the October 15 polls following dif- ferences over seat-sharing and who would get the chief minister’s post.
The Shiv Sena was forced to climb down in its negotiations after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) offered unconditional support to the BJP.
“How much more humiliation we can take?” said senior Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire, who had accompanied Desai to Delhi.
Anant Geete is the lone Shiv Sena representative in the Union Cabinet and the developments could culminate in Thackeray asking him to quit the government, sources said.
The Shiv Sena has demanded one-third of the state ministries including the deputy chief minister’s chair and some other key departments.
The BJP, however, wants the Sena to support the government in the trust vote. Thackeray said he would take a final call on the day of voting. The government has the support of 138 MLAs – only seven short of a majority – sources said.
The BJP picked up 122 of Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats but fell short of absolute majority in last month’s state election where it ran on its own. An alliance with the Sena would mean the BJP can form a stable government with more than 180 legislators, comfortably clearing the majority mark.