The failing relationship of Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena finally ended on Thursday when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray announced the breakup. The association had been teetering for nearly a year and was awaiting a decisive blow which came in the form of a bitter fallout on seat-sharing for the upcoming Mumbai civic polls.
Stating that the differences within the ruling saffron alliance are irreconcilable, a source said, “The BJP-Sena tie-up is a fit case for talaaq (divorce). The two parties are pulling in different directions and are yet together, clearly under coercion.” In a signed article on Sunday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, said BJP-Sena have conflicting views and thoughts on every issue.
Shiv Sena and BJP had ruled the Maximum City’s BMC since 1997 with Shiv Sena always the big brother in the partnership. Over time, BJP’s strength in the state increased and after a major victory in 2014 elections. It is believed that the BJP wanted to fight on 114 seats for the 227 BMC seats up for grabs – just over 50 per cent seat share but the Sena only wanted to concede 60.
“Whatever the Sena decides, the BJP opposes it. This isn’t working in the larger interest of Maharashtra. Those seeking divorce in a family court should draw a lesson from the BJP-Sena alliance,” said Raut. He even added sarcastically that tempers do flare up within the alliance, but there is no domestic violence.
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