Sena has wasted 25 years by remaining in alliance with the BJP says Uddhav Thackeray.
The rift between Shiv Sena and BJP is widening each passing day as the party has threatened to quit the alliance if its legislators are not allowed to perform their work efficiently. Sena is unhappy playing second fiddle to BJP which may prove detrimental to its existence. According to sources, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had a meeting with his party workers as many of them complained about the step motherly treatment meted out against them by the BJP. They also had discussed about severing ties with the saffron party even though no final decision has been taken in this regard. Uddhav will soon have a dialogue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to iron out the differences between both the parties and if issues remain unresolved then Sena may snap ties with the BJP.
Uddhav Thackeray has already said that Sena has wasted 25 years by remaining in alliance with the BJP. Even though he had mentioned about severing ties with BJP but his party won’t blackmail of backstab the ally.
“In last June, we completed 50 years since our advent and half the time, which means 25 years, we were in alliance (with the BJP). Twenty five years is a long time and we grew up by holding hands of each other…but the way certain things unfolded, including breaking up of alliance in previous (assembly) elections…now I feel that we wasted all these 25 years being in alliance…and these years got rotten,” Thackeray said.
“In those days, the base of our alliance was Hindutva, but now we need to work out what is the base of this alliance right now. Rest, I am in touch with the Chief minister who is new, but I am closely monitoring his commitment and restless efforts, and I wish him to do well in future,” he added.
BJP had won 125 seats while Sena managed to win 63 seats in the 2014 Maharashtra assembly election. Both parties had severed ties before the polls. Sena had initially did not join the government as BJP had to rely on outside support from NCP. After two months, NCP had withdrawn the support to BJP as Sena came to BJP’s rescue and it was formally inducted into the government.
“Even though we have an alliance with BJP but they don’t allow our legislators to perform their duties and create hindrance for them. BJP don’t cooperate with us and wants to take credit for every work,” said a Shiv Sena leader on the condition of anonymity.
Even though the Fadnavis government is yet to complete two years but the relations between both the parties have strained. Sena often takes a jibe at BJP through its mouthpiece Saamna.
