The setting for the mega event. Modi is known to be a man who does not forgive or forget easily. Its 25-year-old ally is getting a taste of the changed BJP under Modi who is going to teach the Sena a tough lesson for calling him names in the runup to the elections.
The BJP on Thursday said it was unlikely that former ally Shiv Sena will join the party’s first government in Maharashtra, but talks were still on.
“Talks with Shiv Sena going on very amicably. No outcome yet. Seems unlikely Shiv Sena will be part of government as of now,” Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a tweet Thursday.
Despite sending positive feelers, the Shiv Sena, on its part, remains undecided on the issue amid speculation of differences over the number of ministries it would be given by the BJP.
The party will make its final stand clear after a high-level meeting to be presided over by party chief Uddhav Thackeray later Thursday.
In a related development, the Nationalist Congress Party – which has offered ‘unconditional external support’ to the BJP – lashed out at the BJP for the mega swearing-in ceremony planned for Friday.
“BJP a party with a difference, hence the most lavish oath-taking ceremony in the history of Maharashtra,” NCP state spokesperson Nawab Malik said in a tweet.
The NCP has already announced it will abstain during the vote of confidence of the new government to be headed by Devendra Fadnavis within 15 days.
Meanwhile, hectic last-minute details were being worked out for the swearing-in of Fadnavis and a small team of ministers by Governor C.V. Rao at the Wankhede Stadium Friday afternoon.
The ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, union ministers, party leaders, chief ministers, film personalities, businessmen, sportspersons and other celebrities.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena on Thursday had “wholeheartedly welcomed” Devendra Fadnavis as the new chief minister-designate of Maharashtra, two days after the BJP anointed him.
“We wholeheartedly welcome the new CM of Maharashtra… We are confident that with Narendra (Modi) in Delhi and Devendra (Fadnavis) in Maharashtra, nobody can prevent ‘achhe din’ (good days) from coming to Maharashtra,” the Shiv Sena said in an edit in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ Thursday.
The Sena recalled how the party was closely acquainted with the 44-year-old Fadnavis since many years and that “there are no doubts that his feet would remain firmly planted on the ground”.
The edit also said that although Fadnavis is the son of Vidarbha soil of eastern Maharashtra, he must work for the entire Maharashtra as a whole. “A Vidarbha leader will be heading the state once again and the entire state is proud of him.”
“It will be Fadnavis’ responsibility to remove prejudices that ‘Vidarbha is a backward region’… Vidarbha is blessed with black gold (Kaala Sona) – coal. The coal kings are very influential in Maharashtra… A lobby of businessmen-traders wants to carve out Vidarbha from Maharashtra, but this would not be in the interest of the people,” it advised Fadnavis.
Hinting that the Shiv Sena is keen to join the BJP’s first government in the state, the edit wondered whether the BJP would like to sully its image by taking the help of the corrupt Nationalist Congress Party.
“The mandate of the people is for change…by permanently burying the (former) Congress-NCP government. However, if the BJP wants to accept the NCP’s help in running the government, then this topic can end right now…,” the edit said.
The welcome for Fadnavis in Thursday’s edit was the first official comment by the Shiv Sena since his election as the chief minister-designate Tuesday.
The party has also not yet made up its mind whether it will join the government or sit in the opposition, according to sources.
“So far, the BJP has not sent any proposal for seeking our support or joining the government… Support has to be sought, it can’t just be given… Depending on the next development, the party will take an appropriate decision,” a Sena leader said Wednesday. (IANS)