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In spite of immense strain between Shiv Sena and the BJP over the attack on former journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni, the alliance between the parties continues in Maharashtra.
Senior leaders of both parties publicly stated on Tuesday that there was no question of dissolving the alliance.
Shiv Sena party workers had earlier on Monday smeared ink on the face of Kulkarni for inviting former Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to Mumbai for a book launch.
The attack had led to fears that both parties, who have been exchanging sniper fire against each other for the past one year, want to go their own ways for the forthcoming municipal elections and break up the Fadnavis Government in Maharashtra.
‘Break-up rumours false’However, Environment Minister of Maharashtra and senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam told media persons that the alliance was intact. No action will be taken, which will endanger the Maharashtra Government, he said. BJP’s Chief Spokesperson in Maharashtra, Madhav Bhandari told BusinessLine that rumours about the break up of the alliance were not based on truth and also added that the attack on Kulkarni was a matter for the police to investigate. The law will take its own course against perpetrators.
Meanwhile, sources in Shiv Sena said that party Chief Uddhav Thackeray had felicitated six party workers who had allegedly smeared ink on Kulkarni's face for inviting and hosting Kasuri’s book launch in Mumbai.
Author and political commentator Nilu Damle said the behaviour of Shiv Sena party leaders is very juvenile. It does not have any political or economic agenda, which can be presented before the people.
Shiv Sena does not come across as a mature party, which can handle power with ease. It is more of a grassroots organisation, looking at the petty problems such as chocked drainage lines and local power cuts, he said. Damle pointed that the BJP as a party is astute but it does not have an integrated political and economic thinking. Due to compulsion of electoral politics in Maharashtra, BJP has to depend on Shiv Sena for support. The moment it manages to get firm support from parties like the Nationalist Congress Party, it will dump Shiv Sena.
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