BJP to Shiv Sena: Follow alliance dharma or chart own path

Athavale rewarded with his induction in Union Cabinet

By inducting Republican Party of India (RPI)  leader Ramdas Athavale in Wednesday’s expansion of Union council of ministers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent a stern message to its ally Shiv Sena to follow alliance dharma in true letter and spirit or it is free to chart its own path. Shiv Sena, which is sharing power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, was not even consulted, leave aside accepting its demand for giving one more Cabinet rank and two ministers of state in the Union Cabinet.

Ahead of crucial election to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation slated for 2017, BJP, in a bid to consolidate its position, especially in dalit and other backward classes, gave ministerial berth to Athavale who deserted Shiv Sena to join BJP as its ally in the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly poll in October 2014.

Even though Athavale-led RPI failed to exploit Modi wave to open its account in the state Assembly, he continued to defend BJP and the party-led government at the Centre and in the state when Shiv Sena was stepping up its attack.

BJP has already dropped clear hint that it was gearing up to go solo in the BMC poll slated for 2017 and outnumber Shiv Sena as done in the Assembly election.  BJP has realised that Shiv Sena's Marathi Manoos plank won't work in the latter's favour and was thus concentrating to poach Shiv Sena's bastion and lure non-Marathi speaking voters in Greater Mumbai.

What has gone against Shiv Sena is repeatedly targeting Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and the central government in general over a number of issues including cross-border terrorism,  spiralling prices, especially of essential commodities and the Centre's push for smart city project. BJP reacted sharply when Shiv Sena alleged that the Modi government was worst than the Nizam government.

On its part, BJP dared Shiv Sena to walk out of the alliance while enumerating the sacrifices BJP has made in past couple of decades-and-a-half to keep the tie-up intact. Further, BJP alleged that they eat ‘biryani’ in plate given by the same ‘Nizam’ and then criticise BJP, that they have got ministries at the Centre and state, enjoy perks of power only because of the favour of the same ‘Nizam’ and then curse BJP, and that this is called ''ungratefulness.''

Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday had declared his party would not "beg" for Cabinet berths. "We are a dignified party with self-respect. Whatever comes, it should be with respect. We shall not beg for anything," Uddhav said. Despite complete neglect by BJP, Shiv Sena did not boycott Wednesday’s expansion as its lone minister Anant Geete was present at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

However, a section of Shiv Sena say it was a conscious decision taken by Uddhav to avoid division within the party fold as some senior party MPs were quite eager to join the Modi Cabinet. At the same time, some MPs were also unhappy over Uddhav's support to party MP Anil Desai's induction in the expansion. During the last Cabinet expansion, though Desai was informed in advance for his induction, but he returned from the Delhi airport. Shiv Sena was not happy for offering Desai minister of state rank while not considering more ministerial berths. It is now to be seen whether or not Shiv Sena participates in the expansion of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet slated for July 7. Fadnavis has hinted to induct two Shiv Sena legislators as minister of state. At present Shiv Sena has 10 ministers in the state cabinet.