Mumbai: A day after the 25-year-old Shiv Sena, BJP alliance came to an end, another big possibility that holds the potential to create the biggest political earthquake in Maharashtra is being talked about – the Thackerays coming together.
If such a scenario were to play out, the estranged Thackeray brothers could arrive at an understanding so as to minimise collateral damage from the split in the saffron alliance.
It is being speculated that leaders on the two sides are alive to the positive outcome of such an potential alliance.
The Sena has reasons to worry about politics without the BJP, at least in the short term, as the party is in power in 12 municipal corporations with support from the BJP, including in Mumbai and Thane.
In the new arrangement, the MNS could possibly extended support to Shiv Sena wherever it can make a difference and the MNS in turn will get support from Sena in Nashik where it is in power.
However, the bigger import of the developing alliance can't be missed. Raj Thackeray had walked out of the Shiv Sena after party patriarch Bal Thackeray anointed his son Uddhav as his political hier.
Since then both Raj and Uddhav have fought a battle of one-upmanship. While Raj got to play the role of spoiler in 2009 assembly elections when his party weaned away enough votes to ensure defeat of the Sena-BJP combine, Uddhav came back in the game after a splendid outing in the Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the buzz in political circles also point to the possibility of the Sena and the BJP joining hands post elections even if it is in the form of outside support. However, for the record both sides are saying that the split is final and for real.
"Our other (mahayuti) alliance parties wanted the Sena-BJP combine to continue. More than that, it was what the 11 crore people of Maharashtra wanted. Those who trampled these sentiments are enemies of Maharashtra," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.
"This (breaking of alliance) is an insult to the 105 Marathi martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement," Sena said, adding, "It is unfortunate that the Sena-BJP alliance which for the last 25 years was bound by the Hindutva ideology has ended."
"Those who till yesterday were praying in this tent are now offering namaz in the other tent."
In the edit, the Sena proclaimed itself as "the real protector of Maharasthra" through its army of Shiv sainiks (soldiers).
"Now, Pitru Paksh is over... Everybody's ancestors came in the form of crows and feasted on food and sweets before leaving happily... Only the political descendents were not ready to make any adjustments in the matter of seat-sharing."
The BJP has also announced that the party would not criticize Shiv Sena during the campaign and remain friends. “Our aim is to prevent the corrupt Congress-NCP government from coming to power. We will not criticize Shiv Sena during the campaign, we don’t want any bitterness with our ally of 25 years,” Eknath Khadse,
BJP demands President's Rule
A delegation of state BJP leaders met Maharashtra Governor CV Rao on Friday to urge him to impose President's Rule in the state.
The delegation was led by senior party leader Eknath Khadse. Party leaders told the Governor that in view of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) withdrawing support to the Congress, the Prithiviraj Chavan government is now in a minority hence should be dismissed.
