Tie-up may not mean much in the BMC poll
The meeting between Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday will bring more damage to the already fragile relationship of the latter with the BJP. For sure, the MNS may get a face-lift by joining hands with the Shiv Sena, as it is fast losing its firefighting political brand in Maharashtra politics in recent days. As Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election is vital for the Shiv Sena and it is in fact the centre ground from where the nativist party controls the levers of power both in national and local polls, so it will use its full might to wrest the control of the local body from any party, whichever it may be. But when it comes to the alliance with the MNS, if it really materialises, Shiv Sena may not get any immediate political benefit as MNS had won just one seat in the last Assembly election in the State in a House of 288 seats. Thus, sensing the shrinking space of MNS, the Shiv Sena may further lose its vote share because it may confuse its voters in the most prestigious BMC poll wherein local issues might play the spoilsport if not handled carefully. Also, the re-alignment of the supporters and sympathisers of once undivided Shiv Sena may not be easy at the moment. The divide between the two cousins are wide open and this may put many of their confidant’s political future at risk.
Just for the sack of clipping the wings of the BJP, if the Sena is making an alliance with the MNS, it will not be of much help to the party. It is well understood that the Sena chief is under pressure from his party leaders and cadres for breaking away from the current coalition with the BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis Government for tying up with his estranged cousin. For Sena, it is a bitter sweet coalition with the big brother BJP and it is under compulsion that the former is sticking to the sort of unholy alliance for now, fearing passing into political oblivion. Sadly, the cousin’s much-talked about conclave, though already creating speculation in higher political circles; in reality may not have a deeper impact on the BJP-Sena coalition. Uddhav Thackeray must come to terms with the importance and urgency of the present alliance with the BJP and sensing the same, his attempt to cut the latter into size by befriending his rival cousin, may prove to be disastrous at least for the political dynamics of the State. Simultaneously, the BJP in Maharashtra must be cautious as the party was given a mandate by the people thinking that the Government will gradually shed the baggage of corruption of the Congress in the State which has been entrenched at all levels starting from the panchayat to the secretariat. Unfortunately, the Fadnavis Government has not been successful in cracking down on major corruption rackets except a few, but it needs to move much beyond so that it may rise as the single largest party in the next Assembly poll. The BJP cannot rely on Sena for a long race as the latter will find it difficult to swallow the former as a ‘bigger player’ at least in Maharashtra. Therefore, the Fadnavis Government is expected to devise a pragmatic strategy to survive first the coalition and then put a brave face in the upcoming BMC polls amid growing nearness between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray.