With Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray resigning from the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister, the BJP is all set to stake claim to form the government. Sources said former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will meet the Governor in the evening and is likely to be joined by rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde.
Parallel to the government formation, the state is also likely to witness a tug-of-war between Thackeray and Shinde for control of the party. Both factions claim to be the true heir of Bal Thackeray’s legacy.
So Who is the Real Shiv Sena?
The ball finally will land in the court of the Election Commission to determine who gets the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol and the outcome will be based on who wields the most support among party legislators and office-bearers.
In the fight for the symbol, Shinde and Thackeray will also have to convince the cadre who are equally confused as to who would be the real flag bearer of Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena.
As the state awaits a new government, the Assembly awaits a new Speaker who will decide on the disqualification of rebel MLAs. “It is very clear that Shinde & Team don’t want to merge with any party or they will not be able to argue for the ‘true Shiv Sena’ point. So, it is the EC or the new Speaker who will determine the future of the Shiv Sena now,” former Legislature Secretary Anant Kalse told News18.
Kalse added that even when the petition on disqualification is being heard in the Supreme Court, there is no clarity yet on who would be the whip or Leader of the Legislature Party for the Shiv Sena.
Mumbai-based political analyst Sanjay Jog told News18, “Right now, the Shinde camp is busy showing that they are the ‘real Shiv Sena’ and that they have the support of 39 legislators who were elected on the party symbol.”
Shinde has convinced every MLA who is with him that he will fight tooth and nail to be declared as the ‘real shiv Sena’ and that would be a challenge as the fight could be long drawn, observed a senior BJP leader who did not wish to be named.
Embracing BJP?
When veteran leader Prakash Ambedkar tweeted asking whether Shinde and team were asked by the BJP to merge with the party in order to form the government, he set the cat among the pigeons.
Insiders say that this was one of the first options that was placed in front of Eknath Shinde when plans about forming a government under Devendra Fadnavis were discussed. News18 spoke to senior national leaders in the BJP who confirmed that the party would welcome Shinde’s team if the latter is ready.
“We are open to it, but the decision lies with Eknath Shinde and the others,” a senior national BJP leader told News18 on condition of anonymity.
Experts also believe that Shinde’s team appears indecisive, so much so that some of the decisions take by them could lead to legal complications and a long drawn battle in the courts when it comes to the Shiv Sena symbol as well as recognising them as a political party.
Maharashtra in-charge and national General Secretary CT Ravi said that the technicalities and details on how the BJP and Shinde camp will form the government will be decided in a meeting with the party leaders in Mumbai.
“It will be decided by the party after serious deliberations. The central leadership will take the final call,” Ravi said.
Merging With Another Party?
Shinde’s faction has to be recognised as a new political party by the EC and only then will it be able to protect the rebel legislators from the anti-defection law, say experts.
Shinde has claimed to have more than two-thirds majority and support of Shiv Sena legislators. If they want to immediately form the government with the BJP, they may have to explore the option of merging with another party in order to be a recognised as a political party.
If at all a merger with a political party is being considered, an insider said that they could initiate talks with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as it is still in line with the Shiv Sena ideology. Sources, however, told News18 that a meeting between Shinde and Thackeray didn’t yield results.
The other option would have been Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) which was also the first partner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to offer its support to the rebel group. But Shinde has ruled out the possibility of mergers since he doesn’t want to give up on a fight for the ‘real Shiv Sena’ tag.
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