Pulwama, spectre of Opposition alliance forces Sena hand

Sena & BJP to swim together

The Pulwama massacre and the spectre of a grand Opposition alliance seem to have brought the estranged couple – the BJP and the Shiv Sena – together and they have decided to join hands in the Vidhan Sabha and the Lok Sabha election.

While in the general elections, the BJP will get a bigger slice of the poll pie – 25 seats, as against Sena’s 23 – in the State Assembly election, the honours will be shared 50:50.

Both parties have bent backwards: The Sena softened its stance by agreeing to contest fewer seats than the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP, in turn, agreed to deal with Sena on an equal footing in the State, rather than insisting that it be treated as the dominant partner.

Last week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had visited Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree. The Sena had reportedly insisted on the chief minister’s post and wanted the same formula as in 1995, in which it contested 169 of the 288 seats while the BJP was given a smaller share, 116. The Sena had then won 73 seats and the BJP, 65.

The deal was finalised after BJP president Amit Shah met Thackeray at Matoshree. "I am confident that in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and the Shiv Sena will together win 45 out of total 48 seats," said Shah.

But the rapprochement has come after months of bitterness, with the Sena sniping constantly at its political ally. All these years, through highs and lows, Hindutva had served as the adhesive that held them in a bind.

But the glue had weakened with the Hindutva plank itself coming under strain. Even Ram Temple had ceased to be a common denominator.

But overnight Pulwama has changed the political dynamics and the Sena has decided to cast its lot with the BJP. Both parties hope to cruise through the election on a sentiment of chest thumping nationalism. Another factor that forced their hand was the grand Opposition alliance, which is beginning to look more formidable than earlier. Acknowledging the differences, Uddhav said, "People are seeing the Sena and the BJP together for the past 30 years. For 25 years, we stood united, and for 5 years, there was confusion.’’

There were several meetings before the breakthrough and it was announced at a joint press conference addressed by Uddhav, Fadnavis and Shah.

The two parties have also sorted out some of the irritants. For instance, the proposed petrochemical refinery at Nanar will be shifted to some other site, where it will be welcomed by the locals; construction of Ram temple will get priority; so will issues related to farmers and the poor. “We had differences over some issues, but these have been sorted out,” said Fadnavis, making light of the simmering row between the two allies, which had brought them to the brink.

Uddhav said that it was a new beginning for them. “We have forged an alliance to stop several parties with different ideologies from coming together against us. We do not want such parties voted to power.” "Every BJP-Sena worker wanted an alliance," summed up Shah, who was flanked by Fadnavis and Uddhav. Soon after the alliance was announced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the association between the two parties "goes beyond politics". "Our association with the Shiv Sena goes beyond politics. We are bound by a desire to see a strong and developed India. The decision to contest together strengthens the NDA significantly. I am sure our alliance is going to be Maharashtra’s first and only choice!" PM Modi tweeted.