BJP, Sena bury the hatchet as polls loom
The warring saffron siblings of BJP and Shiv Sena have ironed out their differences over the possibility of a snap poll.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: The warring saffron siblings of BJP and Shiv Sena have ironed out their differences over the possibility of a snap poll. BJP leader LK Advani and Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday held a meeting aimed at easing strains in ties between the two ideological allies.
Mr Advani hosted lunch for the Shiv Sena leader at his home here as his party has set in motion the process to explore new alliance options and keep the NDA intact for any possible electoral battle for the Lok Sabha.
The meeting took place in the wake of last few weeks of posturing from both parties over the prospect of over 20 year saffron alliance. Leaders from both parties were seen threatening each other of divorce in a war of words fought largely through the media. It created an impression that saffron alliance would be liquidated sooner than expected. Tuesday’s meeting was aimed at discussing the ‘non-existent’ crisis.
“We have decided to continue our alliance,” one of the alliance leaders said after the 30-minute Advani-Thackeray meet. Several Shiv Sena MPs accompanied Thackarey Jr during the meeting.
“We will work together,” said a state BJP leader. “Circumstances won’t let us part ways at least for the time being,” he noted.
It all began after the Shiv Sena broke ranks with the BJP in presidential elections in July as it voted for Pratibha Patil because of her Maharashtrian origin. This gave an opportunity to state BJP leaders to grind an axe against the Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray. Upset with the Thackeray scion’s style of functioning, the BJP’s Maharashtra unit asked its central leadership to snap ties with the Shiv Sena.
In the forefront were BJPs two state satraps Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde, both peeved by the treatment meted out to them by the Sena leadership. Both of them had publicly aired their displeasure over Uddhav’s refusal to take calls of senior BJP leaders.
The disgruntled BJP camp even spread a word that they are looking for new partners. The BJP was seen exploring options of bringing in Raj Thackeray’s nascent outfit, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), in place of the Sena. This in turn infuriated the Sena leadership.
By this time the Indo-US nuclear deal had become a full blown political controversy that was beginning to threaten the UPA boat. Possibility of mid-term elections forced the BJP leadership to call off its shadow-boxing match with Shiv Sena. Top leaders of the BJP, which is battling internal feud, believed efforts should be made to ease tensions with the Sena, especially in the light of the apparent row between the Left and the UPA.
Mr Advani hosted lunch for the Shiv Sena leader at his home here as his party has set in motion the process to explore new alliance options and keep the NDA intact for any possible electoral battle for the Lok Sabha.
The meeting took place in the wake of last few weeks of posturing from both parties over the prospect of over 20 year saffron alliance. Leaders from both parties were seen threatening each other of divorce in a war of words fought largely through the media. It created an impression that saffron alliance would be liquidated sooner than expected. Tuesday’s meeting was aimed at discussing the ‘non-existent’ crisis.
“We have decided to continue our alliance,” one of the alliance leaders said after the 30-minute Advani-Thackeray meet. Several Shiv Sena MPs accompanied Thackarey Jr during the meeting.
“We will work together,” said a state BJP leader. “Circumstances won’t let us part ways at least for the time being,” he noted.
It all began after the Shiv Sena broke ranks with the BJP in presidential elections in July as it voted for Pratibha Patil because of her Maharashtrian origin. This gave an opportunity to state BJP leaders to grind an axe against the Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray. Upset with the Thackeray scion’s style of functioning, the BJP’s Maharashtra unit asked its central leadership to snap ties with the Shiv Sena.
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In the forefront were BJPs two state satraps Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde, both peeved by the treatment meted out to them by the Sena leadership. Both of them had publicly aired their displeasure over Uddhav’s refusal to take calls of senior BJP leaders.
The disgruntled BJP camp even spread a word that they are looking for new partners. The BJP was seen exploring options of bringing in Raj Thackeray’s nascent outfit, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), in place of the Sena. This in turn infuriated the Sena leadership.
By this time the Indo-US nuclear deal had become a full blown political controversy that was beginning to threaten the UPA boat. Possibility of mid-term elections forced the BJP leadership to call off its shadow-boxing match with Shiv Sena. Top leaders of the BJP, which is battling internal feud, believed efforts should be made to ease tensions with the Sena, especially in the light of the apparent row between the Left and the UPA.
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