Hours after it boycotted the NDA Government’s swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi over lack of clarity on the BJP’s stand of sharing power in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena on Sunday threatened to “sit in the Opposition” in the event of its erstwhile saffron ally seeking either “direct” or “indirect” support of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP to prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly.
In a day of dramatic developments that began with Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai flying from Mumbai to the national Capital to join Modi’s Ministerial team. However, Desai — acting on the instructions from Sena president Uddhav Thackeray — chose not to take oath of office and returned to Mumbai later in the evening.“Since there was no clarity in BJP’s stand on the issue of sharing power with us in Maharashtra, I asked Anil to return to Mumbai without taking oath of office,” Uddhav clarified.
Having not received any formal word from the ruling party throughout the day, the Shiv Sena bought two more days’ time, to decide on whether it would join the BJP-led Government in the State or not.Strategically enough, Uddhav also hinted at the possibility of the Sena fielding its candidate in the election of Speaker to be held ahead of confidence vote.
lobbing the ball back in the ruling party's court ahead of the vote of confidence scheduled for November 12, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray asked the BJP to come clean on whether it would seek "direct" or "indirect" support of the NCP - a party whose leader coined the phrase "saffron terrorism --in the formation of a government in the state.
The three-day special session of the Assembly is beginning on Monday. In the first two days, members will take oath from a pro-tem Speaker. Election to the post of Speaker will be held on November 12, ahead of the BJP seeking trust vote on the floor of the Assembly.
When asked repeatedly as to when it would decide on the issue of the Sena joining the BJP-led Government in the State, Uddhav said: "When I am not in a hurry, why you are trying to hurry thingsIJ Today, we have elected Eknath Shinde as the Sena's group leader in the Assembly. Tomorrow the Assembly session will start. let us wait and see as to whose name the BJP will put up for the Speaker's election and whether is consensus on the name, it is then we will decide as to whether we will support such a candidate in the Speaker's election. If no, we may think in terms of putting up our candidate
Addressing a Press conference after a meeting the party's newly-elected MlAs and senior party leaders, held at the Sena Bhavan, Uddhav said, "Though we are against the division of Hindutva forces, it would be difficult for us to deal with the BJP if it takes the support of the NCP that has vowed to finish the Hindutvadi forces and has coined the word 'saffron terrorism'.."
"I would therefore like the BJP to clarify if it would seek direct or indirect support of the NCP. If the BJP wants to seek direct or indirect support of the NCP, then the Shiv Sena will have no option but sit in the Opposition... If we are looking at a mid-way path, it is because the Sena is still for rallying all the Hindutvavadi parties to fight the forces out to finish our (Hindutva ideology) but, if the BJP wants to joins hands with the NCP, then we will choose our own path," Uddhav said.
Uddhav's dare to the BJP should be seen in the light of the fact that the NCP (with a strength of 41 MlAs) first announced its unsolicited support from outside to the BJP - which has emerged as the single largest party with a tally of 122 MlAs (including one MlA belonging to its pre-poll ally), 23 short of a simple majority of 145 MlAs in the 288-member Assembly. With the BJP hesitating to accept its support, the NCP later calibrated its stand and said that it would abstain from trust vote to facilitate the BJP's victory if the ruling party will go in for a floor test without the support of the Shiv Sena.
Alluding to NCP president Sharad Pawar's statement that his party would have no role to play in the Government formation if the BJP and Sena came together, Uddhav said: "In response to Pawar's statement, I would like to say that if BJP and Sharad Pawar choose to join hands, the Sena will step aside".
Replying to a question, Uddhav said: "We are not desperate for ministerial positions. If the Sena has chosen not to let its Minister take oath office in New Delhi, it is because we wanted the BJP to clarify its position on the issue of sharing power with us in Maharashtra. Even now I am saying that if the BJP does not clarify its position on the issue ahead of the vote of confidence, then we will vote against the BJP in the floor test".
Reacting to Suresh Prabhu's decision to join the BJP upon induction into the Modi Cabinet, Uddhav said: "I still remember the times when AB Vajapyee had formed the first BJP-led government at the Centre which lasted for 13 days. At that time, Vajpayee had asked late Balasaheb Thackeray to recommend a name from the Sena for induction into his Cabinet. Balasaheb had then suggested Suresh Prabhu's name to Vajpayee. It is rather unfortunate that Prabhu has today chosen to join the BJP.