BJP adopts wait and watch policy

Mumbai: Taking into account the Shiv Sena’s attempt to get the Congress’ support for the mayoral election of Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC), Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has decided to wait and watch till the budget session of Maharashtra Assembly starts on March 6. With the mayoral election scheduled for March 9, the BJP feels that once the Assembly session starts a few days earlier, Sena will have indicated its stand by then.

After the BMC election, estranged friends Sena and BJP in Mumbai could change the dynamics of Maharashtra politics. Sena is mulling options to establish a direct or indirect alliance with the Congress in the mayoral election to keep BJP away from power in the city. The BJP is aware of this and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has spelt out his stand of not allying with Congress. “Those who want to go with Congress are free to go. Nobody will prevent them,” said Mr Fadnavis at BJP’s ‘victory rally’ after the BMC poll results on Saturday at Nariman Point.

On the other side, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has warned his newly elected corporators to be loyal to the party in any situation. Mr Thackeray’s confidant and Sena minister Ravindra Waiker has indicated that his party is ready to take the support of Congress in BMC.

All this has led to speculation over the future of the Mr Fadnavis-led state government. Though Mr Fadnavis has himself said time and again that his government will complete its tenure, BJP’s top leadership is also preparing itself for any eventuality. The BJP leadership feels that anything that Sena wants to do, it will do only after the Assembly session starts. “See, on March 6, the Assembly session will start. The mayor election is on March 9. The last phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh is on March 8. So Sena would try to maintain ambiguity till then to save Congress from (the voters’) wrath in UP as well as to corner BJP on the floor of the House,” said a BJP senior leader on condition of anonymity.  

The BJP leadership has hence decided to wait and watch. BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Kirit Somaiya said, “It was Shiv Sena that had given notice to the government. Their ministers have claimed about having their resignations in their pockets. So now it is up to them whether to go with Congress. I dare Sena to seal this deal,” said Mr Somaiya.