NEW DELHI: With the current generation of BJP leaders having seen the phase of Maharashtra politics when Bal Thackeray used to cut the saffron outfit to size in seat adjustments, the Amit Shah led party withstood pressure to stay firm on the red line on government formation.
Shah maintained aloofness from the developments after the Shiv Sena made public displays of parleys with NCP.
Acting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was seen cutting a lonely figure in the past fortnight to bring the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance on track, with communication lines distinctly cut between the two. Fadnavis had put the ball in Sena’s court by publicly stating that there had not been any agreement on equal sharing of power.
The BJP chief, however, seemingly had directed the party leaders not to make any public statements against Shiv Sena, leaving Fadnavis to do the talking. The Sena dragging Shah into the “equal sharing” claim appeared to have angered him.
Yet, the BJP chief was apparently hopeful that the Shiv Sena would get realistic and come on board to form the government on the 2014 terms.
While the post-poll alliance was struck in Haryana in quick time, Maharashtra presented a starkly different script since BJP’s oldest ally was on an apparent warpath.
Still, Shah has managed to send out a message to all its allies that BJP can’t be dictated even in circumstances where the party may lose power.
Congress MLAs in Jaipur to prevent poaching
Amid the BJP-Sena brinkmanship, with both allies claiming they would form the government, the Congress sent its MLAs in the state party-ruled Jaipur, in Rajasthan to prevent them from being poached by any of the parties amid allegations that BJP was trying to lure Congress MLAs to reach the majority-mark.