Sena gives BJP 48-hour ultimatum to clarify stand on NCP support

Indicates it will play a vigilant opposition but not compromise self pride for the sake of power

Shiv Sena on Sunday declared it will play a role of vigilant opposition in the Maharashtra state assembly if BJP decides to seek support extended by the Nationalist Congress Party to prove its majority.

A visibly depressed Shiv Sena  president Uddhav Thackeray gave 48 hours of ultimatum to its former ally BJP to make its position clear on whether or not to go with NCP to prove its majority in the state assembly.

However, Uddhav, who was speaking to reporters after the meeting of legislature party, said Shiv Sena was not helpless and will never compromise its self pride  to join the government.

 

''It is upto the BJP to decide. If they take any support from the NCP, we will not stand with them," he said, referring to Sharad pawar's party which has offered to back the BJP's minority government in Maharashtra, a move that has greatly diminished the power of the Shiv Sena.

Further, Uddhav reminded BJP that Pawar, who had first coined the term 'Hindu terror,' had played a key role for the defeat of 13-day BJP's minority government led by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee in 1996. He then wondered how BJP could take support from such a party. Further, Uddhav led a scathing attack against BJP for abandoning its ideals.

 

However, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said Shiv Sena should have accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to join the union cabinet.

''However, Shiv Sena's decision to reject Modi's invitation is quite unfortunate. Sena should have joined the cabinet. Discussion between BJP and Shiv Sena should be restricted to technical issues raised by Shiv Sena with regard to its support to the government. It should not focus on number of ministerial berths and various post,'' Fadnavis added.

 

Earlier, Uddhav revealed party's stand on the eve of three day session of the 13th state assembly beginning on Monday. The chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to move a one line confidence vote on November 12. BJP with 121 members has support of its ally Rashtriya Samaj Party's one legislator.

Besides, BJP has received support from about 12 independents and members of smaller parties. Still it is short of about 10 votes of simple majority. NCP with 41 members has already announced its support from outside to BJP government for stability in the state. NCP has also declared to support confidence motion in the assembly.

 

Uddhav said Shiv Sena will also not compromise on Hidutva for the sake of power adding that the party is resolved to work for the ''preservation of Hindutva'' for the protection of Hindus, and never abandon their ideals for a place in the government.

He said that though Shiv Sena wanted to keep Hindutva forces together, BJP seemed to have different ideas. Without directly naming the emergence of  Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), Uddhav warned that ''anti Hindu elements'' were increasing its presence in the state and his party was committed to keep such forces at bay.

 

On Shiv Sena's decision to walk out of NDA, Uddhav said the party will reconsider its participation in the NDA if the BJP was non cooperative in Maharashtra.

 

Further, Uddhav also declared party's displeasure over the induction of Shiv Sena's former leader and former union minister Suresh Prabhu in the cabinet. He termed BJP's decision as unfortunate.

 

Uddhav also admitted that he recalled to be union minister Anil Desai from Delhi airport. ''I asked Anil Desai not to take oath today to join the union cabinet when the future of the alliance was not clear in Maharashtra,'' he noted.

 

Meanwhile, Uddhav announced that Shiv Sena legislator Eknath Shinde, who was elected from Thane seat, has been elected Legislature Party leader. He reiterated that Shiv Sena would  would serve the needs of all people of Maharashtra. He brushed aside suggestions that any Shiv Sena members had ever met BJP leaders in the near past.