TOO MUCH DEMAND FOR SEX CAN LEAD TO DIVORCE: SHIV SENA

14-9-2014 11.50AM IST

Medhaj News: The much anticipated political war between Shiv Sena and BJP regarding Maharashtra assembly elections has finally hit the ceiling. An editorial in Saamna, Shiv Sena's mouthpiece, asks BJP to reing in its `lust' for power and expectations of more seats, as "too much sex, leads to a divorce".

Two issues are at stake. First, seat sharing; here Shiv Sena looks in a mood to cold shoulder not just BJP, but also the electoral ambitions of a number of BJP allies. Second, the issue of projecting a Chief Minister from the BJP-Shiv Sena camp—here Uddhav Thackrey, the Shiv Sena chief has become pro-active in projecting himself for the anointed post after the demise of Gopinath Munde, the BJP leader.

According to sources, Munde’s unnatural and untimely death threw the new CM post wide open. Otherwise, given the way BJP-Shiv Sena swept Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, the alliance getting a majority in the Vidhan Sabha was being seen as a foregone conclusion. And Modi had promised the CM post to Gopinath Munde, BJP’s prominent OBC face in Maharashtra.

Modi’s penchant for projecting backward caste leaders in the States is well known; not so obvious has been the soft resistance put up by the traditional-upper caste factions in the BJP and the RSS. Even after Modi’s emergence, both these formations are still under the control of the upper castes. In fact, pro-Munde elements in the BJP openly accused Nitin Gadkari, the ex-BJP President, also a Maharashtrian Brahmin, of having a hand in Munde’s death. So much so that people raised anti-Gadkari slogans in Munde’s village at the time of latter’s last rites, in the presence of Nitin Gadkari!

Uddhav Thackrey was the first to take advantage of this apparent split in BJP ranks; announcing himself as a contender for CM’s post in Maharashtra, he forced the BJP on the back-foot. Reports say that after Munde’s death, PM Modi was `heart-broken’, left with no choice but to back Gadkari from the BJP side for the CM post.

Other reports however suggest that Modi still has an ace up his sleeves and is capable of projecting a backward caste leader of his choice in Maharashtra. One thing is clear—Modi and Gadkari are locked in a confrontation in Maharashtra.

With the BJP camp divided, Shiv Sena is now looking to cut BJP to size. With the Modi magic suffering a dent in the recent by-poll elections in a number of States, Shiv Sena has upped its ante; but BJP is expected to do well in the 13th September UP by-polls.

It’s a see-saw battle, in which the Congress and NCP have been reduced to the position of by-standards. Prithviraj Chavan, Maharashtra’s Congress CM, largely seen as an honest politician, has been at war with both Sharad Pawar of the NCP and detractors like Narayan Rane and Ashok Chavan, in his party. Accused of delaying key decisions in the realty and industrial sector, Prithviraj Chavan went ballistic and passed more than 40 projects just on the eve of poll notifications.

ABP-Neilson opinion poll, the first to come out after announcement of poll dates—15th October—gives the BJP-Shiv Sena 200 out of 288 seats in the polls. Congress and NCP deny these euphoric predictions and talk of returning back to power. But unless a miracle takes place, the enthusiasm shown by pro-Government parties has few takers.

Shiv Sena wants to disprove the Modi factor in Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackrey wants people to see him as the Narendra Modi of Maharashtra. That is the key reason behind Shiv Sena’s rigid stand on seat sharing with BJP, its chief ally. Shiv Sena has a solid OBC base, which has accepted leadership of upper caste Thackreys. So Uddhav is not insecure on the OBC front.

The Sena also cancelled seat-distribution talks on Saturday, citing party President Uddhav Thackeray's "prior commitments" as reason, thus escalating tensions further.

As expected, the state BJP is not amused with Saamna equating BJP’s demand for more seats in the alliance with `lust’. The Shiv Sena is known for using `colorful’ language; this time, however, the BJP has protested.

"The piece was in bad taste. Saamna can't write such stuff without Matoshree's (read Uddhav Thackrey) knowledge and support," said a key state BJP leader. "The editorial reeks of Sena's arrogance and lack of refinement," the functionary added.

The time-tested formula in the saffron alliance is 169 seats for the Sena and 119 for the BJP. This time, the state BJP wants 15 seats more from the Sena. However, a section in the BJP is insisting that the Sena should be made to agree to a 50:50 formula after allocating seats to other allies.

Talking to mediapersons, Sanjay Raut, MP and executive editor of Saamna, vehemently turned down BJP's demand for more seats. The Sena wants the time-tested formula to be kept intact, he said. Uddhav denied `Modi wave’ in Maharashtra: "Did the Modi wave show in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Orissa and West Bengal? It depends on alliance partners as well. Modi is just the Prime Minister of our alliance," he said.

According to some reports, Uddhav also said, "We too live near the seafront. We have seen many waves. We are not afraid of waves." This was in apparent reference to the BJP's demand for more seats in view of the 'Modi wave' seen during LS polls. The BJP won 23 seats in LS polls in the state as against Shiv Sena's 18.

To a question on the issue of a separate Vidarbha state, a cause being supported by BJP, Uddhav said people wanted development and there was no agitation going on for separate statehood in Vadarbha.