MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who is under the Enforcement Directorate’s scanner for alleged money laundering, has urged Maharashtra CM and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to “reconcile” with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi “before it is too late”, saying such a move will save leaders like him from problems being created by “Central agencies”.
In his June 10 letter addressed to Thackeray, Sarnaik alleged the Congress and NCP, which are constituents in the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, were weakening the saffron party by creating divisions in its ranks and also pointed out that civic polls are due in many cities, including Mumbai, in coming months.
Sarnaik, an MLA from Thane city, also stated that even though the alliance with the BJP has broken, personal and harmonious relations between leaders of the ‘yuti’ (Shiv Sena-BJP) remain. “It is better to reconcile before it is too late,” the MLA said in the letter.
As the letter caused a flutter, the Congress reacted cautiously, saying it was an internal matter of the Sena while NCP state unit president Jayant Patil said he did not know any Sena workers crossing over to the Congress or NCP in Maharashtra. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said, “Sarnaik reiterated what the BJP has been saying from the last 18 months” (about allying with the Sena again).
Notably, the Sena had allied with the NCP and Congress to form the MVA government in November 2019 after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party fell out with the BJP after the Maharashtra Assembly polls over the post of the CM.