BJP, MVA polls apart; Sena the new target
With no chance of joining hands for upcoming polls, BJP shifts focus on to Sena from NCP
MUMBAI: The main opposition party in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has believably decided to step up its attack against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, especially after the chances of the Sena joining hands with it to form the government became bleak.
It was evident on Monday as prominent BJP leaders participated in agitations across the state demanding reopening of temples. On the other hand, Central government’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) turned the heat on Sena leaders — transport minister Anil Parab and MP Bhavana Gawali — prompting the ruling party to allege political vendetta by the Bjp-led government at the Centre.
Led by Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and formed with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, MVA has been under fire from the day one of its formation on November 28, 2019. And the BJP has stepped up the attack further in past few months and is not leaving any opportunity to corner the government and CM Thackeray, on issues such as reservation for Marathas an Other Backward Classes (OBC), handling of Covid, ban on traditional bullock cart race in western Maharashtra among others.
The attack from the BJP is likely to intensify in the near future as the local body elections —considered mini assembly polls, as more than two-thirds of municipal corporations, councils of the state will go to polls — draw closer.
BJP leadership has also strategically tried to corner MVA on issues related to reservation of particular communities and evoke religious sentiments on the issue of the opening up of temples.
The party has also blamed MVA for its failure in keeping the reservation to Marathas in jobs and education, which was quashed by the Apex court in May. BJP leaders alleged MVA did not present the grounds on which reservation was given in the Supreme Court. Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis said MVA was against reservation to OBCS and hence it did nothing to restore it.
“From day one of its formation, the BJP was expecting MVA government to crumble. The hopes were on till recently when the last ditch attempt was made two months ago ahead of the expansion of the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since the hope has come to an end as the Sena did not concede to it, the opposition is targeting the state government tooth and nail. The party appears to have shifted its focus on the Sena among the three ruling allies,” said a Congress leader, requesting anonymity.
Within a few months after MVA government came to power, BJP cornered it over the killing of seers in a mob lynching in Palghar. The ruling parties were then targeted in the death cases of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and celebrity manager Disha Salian last year. Former forest minister Sanjay Rathod resigned from his post after allegations of his involvement in the death of a Tiktok star from Pune. The BJP had alleged the minister was responsible for the girl’s death.
Ruling parties in the state alleged ED notices to Parab and former home minister Anil Deshmukh were done out of political vendetta.
However, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “They should have some shame while alleging that the action is being taken out of vendetta. CM Uddhav Thackeray had backed former assistant police inspector Sachin Vaze by questioning why he was being targeted as if he is Osama Bin Laden. Vaze was a blue-eyed boy with whom the Sena leader shared dinner and partied till he named Sena leaders saying they were behind his misdeeds. The leaders from the ruling parties should not be scared if they have not done anything wrong.”
Reacting to the attacks, water resources minister and NCP state unit chief Jayant Patil said, “Not only leaders from the ruling parties, but everyone who expresses views against the BJP are being harassed. The notices by central agencies will be replied to. It is a systematic attempt to defame MVA.”
“As the local body elections draw closer, attack from the BJP will intensify. The BJP earlier targeted the NCP and has now shifted its focus on the Sena in an attempt to wrest power from it in BMC elections. Union minister Narayan Rane’s induction in Union cabinet was with the sole intention of using him against his bete noire Shiv Sena. As the possibility of re-alliance with the Sena comes to an end, BJP has stepped up the attack,” said political analyst Hemant Desai.