MUMBAI, Jul 4 (Times of India) : A large section of the BJP appears to be in favour of ending its two decade-plus poll alliance with the Shiv Sena ahead of the state assembly elections in October.
The BJP's central leadership has endorsed the state unit's move to cut the Sena to size, sources said. "It is for the first time, in the last two decades, that we have categorically talked of parting ways with the Sena," said a senior BJP functionary on the sidelines of the party's state-level convention at the Andheri sports complex.
"It's crucial for the saffron alliance's future that the BJP should come out openly against the Sena in the run-up to the assembly polls even if our threat is seen as pressure tactics," the functionary added.
Party veteran Madhu Chavan set the anti-Sena mood of the day-long conclave. "The Sena keeps dragging us along. If we want to expand in Maharashtra, we must sever ties with the Sena at the earliest. We should not remain a stunted bonsai, we must think of growing and striking deeper roots... We should contest the elections on our own. We will win hands down," he said, urging the leadership to pay heed to the party workers' feelings. Chavan's fiery speech was punctuated with lusty cheers from party workers who had gathered for the BJP's biggest jamboree in Maharashtra in recent years.
Having allowed Chavan and two key party functionaries, Warsha Bhosale and Sujitsingh Thakur, to lash out at the Sena, state BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis struck a conciliatory note. "We can't snap ties with our friends who have stood by us through thick and thin," he told the crowd. Party workers' sentiments would be honoured while mapping out the future course of the 'mahayuti', he said. The 'mahayuti' comprises the Sena-BJP, RPI, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and the Rashtriya Samaj Party.
Uncharacteristically, the Sena maintained its cool. In an SMS, senior leader Sanjay Raut said: "The mahayuti is strong. We will contest the assembly elections as allies. There is no need to pay attention to what others say. Key mahayuti leaders will decide on the future course of action."
The BJP is tightening the screws to extract more assembly seats from Uddhav Thackeray, said a Sena leader. "They want the seat-sharing formula of two decades (which offers 171 assembly seats to the Sena, while the BJP's share is 117) to be scrapped. It is pressure tactics," he added.
State BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari described the party workers' anguish as "genuine". "There is an overwhelming feeling among our workers that the alliance with the Sena has stunted the BJP's expansion in the state. As we have only 117 assembly seats to contest, our presence is confined to only 40% of entire Maharashtra," Bhandari said.
Signals from the conclave indicated the state BJP is set to be helmed by a four-leader team of Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Khadse, Vinod Tawde and Sudhir Mungantiwar in the post-Munde era. The central leadership mooted the idea of collective leadership with Fadnavis as the state BJP's point person, sources said.
Union minister for road transport Nitin Gadkari wrapped up the day's proceedings with an appeal to party activists to work hard to win the assembly polls. A win would be a fitting tribute to Munde, he said.