Sena gets increasingly critical of BJP

The intermittent squabbles between the BJP and Shiv Sena have escalated to the point of straining the alliance in Maharashtra.

The bitterness first crept in when the BJP, in September 2014, broke its 25-year-old political alliance with the Sena and chose to fight the Assembly elections on its own. Since then, despite the two parties later coming together to form the government, the Sena has been consistently taking potshots at the BJP and its national leaders through its editorials in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana .

Following the BJP’s defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Sena's attacks have become more virulent.

 On Monday, a strong editorial in Saamana said the law and order situation in Maharashtra was deteriorating, and that the Devendra Fadnavis government had failed to arrest the killers of Marxist leader Govind Pansare, who was gunned down in broad daylight last week.

The editorial further drew parallels between the failures of the previous Congress-NCP regime and the current government. “It is like a refurbished cinema with the same story and dialogues. Only the characters have been changed,” it pointed out.  During the reign of the previous government, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was similarly killed and the case remained undetected.

 Eminent political analyst Nilu Damle said the BJP is just about tolerating the Sena.

“The BJP feels that for its growth in Maharashtra, the Sena is a big hurdle. But the Sena is also aware of this situation and therefore it is waiting for an appropriate movement to withdraw support,” he said.  Damle further said the BJP is in a peculiar situation as it does not particularly want to ally with the Sena but neither can it accept support from the NCP, which faces serious corruption charges.

It is getting ready for a mid-term election but the critical mass has not yet been formed, he said, adding: “Due to these uncertainties the business community within India and outside is getting restless, resulting in loss of business for the State.”

 Political analyst Nagesh Kesari said the sparring between the two parties is due to the forthcoming municipal elections in Mumbai and some important municipalities in the State. The Shiv Sena, for its survival, wants to win those polls at any cost. In CM Fadnavis it has found an easy target as he does have much command over his ministers.