MUMBAI: The cold war between BJP and Shiv Sena over the seat sharing for Maharashtra Assembly election has revealed Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s political shrewdness. Uddhav has put at stake the party’s 29-year-old alliance with BJP to nurture his ambition to rule the state.
Uddhav’s ambition to become the Chief Minister is the main obstacle in forging the party’s poll pact with the BJP. His ambition has become stronger, thanks to the predictions revealed in Shiv Sena’s interval survey that the party would win around 130 seats if it went solo in the election scheduled on October 15. Uddhav knows it well that all the “ill perception” pertaining to his leadership qualities will vanish if he acquires the coveted chair.
Demonstrating his shrewdness, Uddhav waited until the date of announcement of election to catch BJP in a tricky situation. He was aware that the BJP was eyeing an equal share in the alliance but he did not react till the election was announced. Meanwhile, he started posturing for the CM’s post. He maintained that the next CM will be from Shiv Sena and the party’s workers wanted to see him in the chair.
Thrilled with its success in the Lok Sabha election BJP had floated the idea to divide the 288 seats into three parts—135 each for BJP and Shiv Sena and 18 for the junior partners Republican Party of India (RPI), Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP). However, Uddhav was firm on his motto “Mission 150”. He also unveiled his vision for the state’s development in the areas of health, education and infrastructure departing from a tradition of a joint manifesto with the BJP. It was a clear signal that he was not in a mood to take a back seat. The BJP failed to notice the signal. It assumed that Uddhav would buckle under pressure. However, the wild life photographer, whose political experience is not more than 20 years, proved them wrong.
According to a senior leader in Shiv Sena, Uddhav believes that accepting BJP’s proposal will prove to be political suicide for Shiv Sena. “He looks at the present political situation as the best opportunity for the party to dominate in the state. If Uddhavji becomes CM, it will establish him as the state’s leader,” the leader said.
Uddhav knows that a win for BJP in Maharashtra will consolidate PM Narendra Modi’s base. He believes the BJP will emerge as a “killer” for Shiv Sena if it gets the CM’s post. In addition to that, he will have to face the ire of the loyal Shiv Sainiks who did not switch over to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his charismatic and articulate estranged cousin Raj Thackeray if he “surrendered” before BJP.
Evoking the regional sentiments, Uddhav announced he did not want any compromise with Maharashtra’s pride by accepting to play a second fiddle in the alliance with BJP. Clearly, he thinks that the time has come to lead from the front.