BJP and Sena may part ways for BMC Elections 2017

It seems the BJP and the Sena are both keen to go solo in the upcoming BMC Elections slated to take place in February-March 2017. The Mumbai BJP has told its grassroot units to gear up the party machinery for the elections minus the Sena. And Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has sought reports from vibhag pramukhs (in-charge of organisational units) on the poll scenario, a senior party functionary said on Monday. Uddhav has been touring shakhas (local Sena units) across the city, reviewing the party’s poll apparatus and holding parleys with Shiv Sainiks.

 

A BJP legislator said, “Poll results in the rural heartland clearly show that people are with us on demonetisation. Common citizens think the BJP government is earnest in its efforts to weed out black money from the national economy. Mumbaikars too will endorse the Centre’s move to demonetise high currency notes. The mood in the party is robustly in favour of snapping ties with Sena for the elections.”

 

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar has begun talks with senior party functionaries on poll preparedness, sources said. Going solo will allow both parties to accommodate many ticket-seekers and reduce chances of an intra-party rebellion, analysts said.

 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ statement in Nagpur wherein he stated that BJP will go with Sena only if they endorsed the Development Vision of the BJP, has made matters even worse.

 

Hitting back at Fadnavis, Uddhav said Sena would not accept any vision which tampered with Mumbai’s Marathi ethos. Uddhav was speaking at a function here to mark the release of a book by Saamna editor and party leader Sanjay Raut, MP. “If your vision casts an evil eye on Marathis and Mumbai, we will destroy the eyes that see such morbid vision,” Uddhav remarked.

 

 

Fadnavis’ statement will harden Sena’s stance vis-a-vis BJP in the run-up to the polls, party observers said. “Accepting Fadnavis’ and Modi’s development vision would mean accepting BJP’s supremacy in all matters. No Shiv Sainik will accept this,” a Sena functionary said.

 

It all seems that post PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai i.e. on 24th, the scenario of the alliance will be more clearer.