Shiv Sena-BJP tussle gets personal with Uddhav’s emotional speech

It’s time that both sides calm down and stop things from going out of control, says NCP’s Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s emotional speech, in which he challenged the Central agencies to put him in jail instead of his party workers, ended any speculation of his party returning to an electoral understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and also reached out to Sena workers to boost their confidence.

While the BJP’s Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and former CM Devendra Fadnavis rejected Mr. Thackeray’s speech, terming it as “an emotional outburst”, Sena sources said that the intention was to send a message to party workers, which was largely achieved. “This was not a speech to be made in the legislative House. It was his speech from Shivaji Park (a historic venue for rallies in central Mumbai). It didn’t answer any of our [the BJP’s] allegations nor the issues that we had raised,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

“By approaching the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) office voluntarily, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in 2019 made the fight against the BJP personal, which turned him into an undisputed leader of anti-BJP forces in Maharashtra. The same is being tried by Uddhav Thackeray this time. But this would also mean that the BJP will increase its attacks on the Sena and it will be interesting to see how party tackles it,” senior journalist and political commentator Amey Tirodkar said.

Despite attempts by senior Ministers in the State Cabinet before and during the Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature, the ongoing tussle between the Shiv Sena and the BJP has turned personal, which is rarely seen the State’s politics. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, addressing a press conference on the eve of Budget session, said that “both sides should try and keep things under control”.

“Maharashtra has a legacy of greats like Yashwantrao Chavan, who treated political opponents gracefully. We may be ideologically different but have always maintained cordial family relations. It’s time that both sides calm down and stop things from going out of control,” Mr. Ajit Pawar said in a press conference after the Budget session on Friday. He added that there are no permanent friends and foes in politics.

Prior to action against Mr. Thackeray’s brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar by the ED two days ago, several Sena leaders were targeted by the Central agencies, angering Mr. Thackeray. A close aide of the Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, Pravin Raut, who played a crucial role in forming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is under arrest by the ED, and his acquaintances also being raided. The Shiv Sena’s leader in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Yashwant Jadhav is being raided repeatedly by the Income Tax authorities. Sena Minister Anil Parab and his aides are also under the radar of the ED. Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray’s aide Rahul Kanal was raided by the I-T authorities recently, too.

“Uddhav Thackeray sent a strong message that he stands with party workers and also against the BJP. Whether one likes or not, he used the Assembly to address his audience, which is angry and irritated by the actions of the Central agencies,” Mr. Tirodkar said.