New Delhi: By late Friday, one thing was almost certain – the BJP prefers to go for fresh elections in Maharashtra after 6 months, on its own, blaming the Shiv Sena. Another thing that is being increasingly clear- the BJP and the Sena are likely to go for a split.First it was Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who addressed the media and then Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray retorted. In this press conference vs press conference, Thackeray’s use of language was unprecedented. “If they call me a liar, in future also I will not keep any relationship with the BJP,” he said.
“(Jannayak Janata Party leader and now Haryana Deputy Chief Minister) Dushyant Chautala, during Haryana election campaign, had said ‘two Guajaratis will teach us nationalism’ and BJP has now embraced him,” Thackeray added.
Fadnavis, after tendering his resignation as Chief Minister to Governor BS Koshiyari, addressed a press conference where he put the blame for no government squarely on the Sena chief.
“We fought together as ‘Mahayuti’, but Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in his first press conference (after election results) said that all options to form the government are open… It was a shock for us,” said Fadnavis, who has so far been restrained in his comments. Even while coming out of BJP chief Amit Shah’s residence in New Delhi, he refused to be provoked.
The relationship with Sena has become almost impossible, said a BJP leader adding that as of now, neither side has the number and view of it the possibility of a snap poll cannot be ruled out.
The BJP leader further said that the way things are unfolding, it appears the two allies of over two decades heading for a permanent severing of ties.
With Sharad Pawar’s party not showing inclination for a tie-up with Sena, a fresh elections in the state appears to be the only option.
On the other hand, BJP’s General Secretary, Organisation, BL Santhosh didn’t mince any words when he tweeted: “Maharashtra CM Fadnavis makes it clear that there was no discussion on 50:50 formula …All issues raised in last one week cleared by him in one press brief .. Calls the bluff of many a concocted stories.”