Ignoring Shiv Sena may further cost the BJP
After 20 months in power, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis's decision to expand his Council of Ministers on Friday was much expected after Eknath Khadse, who had 10 portfolios with him, had to resign on corruption charges in June this year. Allotting only two more junior ministers posts to ally Shiv Sena has definitely irked the party which was demanding a top Cabinet berth in the Government. To be precise, BJP has clearly indicated the Shiv Sena who is the boss in the State and the latter is supposed to be happy with whatever is being given to it for now.
As Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has skipped the oath taking ceremony, it is for sure, the party's protracted sulk will deepen in the days to come. Ironically, this time the BJP had even denied a berth to Shiv Sena at the much talked about Cabinet expansion of Team Modi at the Centre. But sidelining or ignoring Shiv Sena for a longer time may cost the BJP heavily in a crucial State like Maharashtra if the party fails to register considerable electoral progress in future. Why has the Shiv Sena been meted out such a cold treatment by the BJP both at the Centre and in the StateIJ Is it because of the Shiv Sena's constant salvos to the performance of the Modi Government or at times, targeted sharp attack on the Fadnavis Government that has led to such a responseIJ It needs to be seen how the BJP can afford to ignore an old ally like Shiv Sena just before the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 18.
Fadnavis has added 11 new Ministers to his team. The most significant addition is Mahadev Jankar, the founder and chief of the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, who is considered a staunch supporter of BJP leader Gopinath Munde. In fact, Munde, who had stitched alliances with both the RSP and Swabhimani Party, had proved to be a masterstroke for the BJP in the last Assembly election in the State. It seems Fadnavis has made a calculated political move by bringing in both the smaller alliance partners into his Government at a time when he is gradually cornering the Shiv Sena. Though the Shiv Sena was expected to be compensated in the State as it could not get sufficient representation in the Modi Government, but finally the party had to downplay its immediate loss for all practical purposes as the most crucial Mumbai Municipal election is just nearing.
Further, Fadnavis has simply turned down the Shiv Sena's request for promoting one of its Minister of State to the Cabinet rank. The real problem lies somewhere else — at the moment, the Shiv Sena can’t afford to pull out of the Government as many of its MlAs are keen to be a part of the Government instead of sitting in Opposition. In case a decision for withdrawal comes, the Shiv Sena may get divided soon. Deep inside, many in the State feel that with the death of the ‘real tiger’ Balasaheb Thackeray, the party has lost its tone and tenor of yesteryears.
Under Uddhav Thackeray, team Shiv Sena is not moving faster and further, rather it is slowly losing its steam in the State and it is not been able to cash on its fire power anymore that it used to be in the past. Beyond this, Uddhav Thackeray is still not able to digest the fact that the BJP is a bigger party than the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Political pundits predict that with Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena may lose its traditional dominance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and the BJP may perform much better. Whatsoever it may be, in the current political dynamics of the State, neither the BJP can ignore the Shiv Sena nor can the Shiv Sena do the same to the BJP.