All faces in the expansion were affiliated with the BJP and not NDA says Sena.
Shiv Sena expressed its displeasure after it was ignored by BJP in the cabinet expansion drive. The manner in which BJP had sidelined Sena will only further intensify the rift between both parties. Since the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is scheduled to be held next year both parties are trying to gain an upper hand over each other. Sena has often criticised the style of functioning of BJP through its mouthpiece Saamna. It also had taken a jibe at BJP leaders recently which had strained relations between both the parties. BJP is planning to cut Sena to size ahead of next year’s civic body election and has sidelined the latter by not allotting any ministerial berth to it.
“The party’s view has been that we would not go begging to BJP for any ministerial berths. If they give us berths honourably and as per our demands then fine. We had some specific demands which we asked for or else we did not want any berths from them,” Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said.
She said her party base in Maharashtra is getting stronger, with people from other political outfits joining the Sena, the result of which will show in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other local body polls slated for next year.
“Modi ji has been saying he will hand-pick his ministers based on calibre and talent so that they can perform well. Did he not see any talented person in the Sena? We are hurt by today’s expansion and will keep in mind the treatment meted out to us by our ally in numerous local body polls,” she said.
Sena also said that all faces in the expansion were affiliated with the BJP and not NDA. It asserted that step motherly treatment has been meted against parties like Telugu Desam and Akali Dal. The current cabinet expansion drive has been undertaken with an eye on the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls to be held next year.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the party had always given paramount importance to the pride of its party and Maharashtra and never sold its self respect for the sake of power.
“Every face inducted is from the BJP. Ramdas Athavale came to the Rajya Sabha from BJP quota, Anupriya Patel merged her party with the BJP. They did not invite Akali Dal or the Telugu Desam, the Shiv Sena has no qualms about not being part of expansion,” Raut said.
According to political experts, “BJP has allotted minister of state portfolio to RPI (A) President Ramdas Athawale on the condition that he should merge his party with the saffron outfit. If the merger happens then it will enable the BJP to avert the split of Dalit votes in Maharashtra. Even Mirzapur MP Anupriya Patel, who belongs to Apna Dal was assigned a ministerial berth as her party has merged with BJP.”
“This development is a big boost for BJP in UP polls as Apna Dal has a huge support base mainly among the OBC communities of the Varanasi-Mirzapur area. Also, the merger may boost the winning prospects of BJP in UP elections as it is likely to attract Kurmi votes,” they added further.
