Mumbai: In a major and surprising political development, the Shiv Sena on Thursday rejected the BJP ultimatum on seat sharing. The Shiv Sena leaders have empowered Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to take the final decision which they think will be in the interest of Maharashtra and protect the self esteem of the Shiv Sena.
It was expected that some top BJP leaders would meet the Sena chief to discuss the seat sharing issues. But the BJP has come out with the 151 seats for Sena formula with an ultimatum.
In an emergency meeting of all the executive of the Shiv Sena, it was decided that the Shiv Sena will remain a dominant force as far as Maharashtra is concerned and will not cede the leadership of the alliance to the BJP.
However, the seat sharing seems to be the secondary issue. The primary issue is Shiv Sena's prestige. The very foundation of Shiv Sena is based on the honor of Maharashtra and the self-respect of the Shiv Sena.
Time and again it has made it clear that there seems to be no compromise on these issues. The BJP, which is not very comfortable with the idea of playing second fiddle to the Shiv Sena is targeting the coveted post of chief minister.
In the previous Shiv Sena-BJP government, the BJP held the post of deputy chief minister.
Close watchers of the Shiv Sena claims that if Balasaheb Thackeray, the late Sena Supremo was alive, no humiliation to the Marathi people would have been tolerated.
Amit Shah, the national president of BJP, also dropped a bombshell at all his public meetings in Marathwada on Thursday sought to vote for the BJP and not for the alliance. It clearly indicates that the BJP is also in a mood to quit the 25 year old alliance with Shiv Sena.
The allies of the Shiv Sena-BJP like Ramdas Athawale, RPI leader Raju Shetti of the Swabhimani Sanghatana have already appealed to both the parties to end the dispute in the larger interest of Maharashtra and make the state 'Congress-mukta' or 'Congress Free'.
However, their appeal seems to have failed to force the adamant alliance partners to bury the hatchet.
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