The Eknath Shinde faction in Maharashtra has taken a firm stand that any future talks with the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray can become possible only if the BJP is included in the picture.

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Shinde faction firmly with BJP

By Dilip Chaware

The Eknath Shinde faction in Maharashtra has taken a firm stand that any future talks with the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray can become possible only if the BJP is included in the picture. Some feelers had reportedly come to Eknath Shinde to return to the Sena fold with a promise that he would be retained as the chief minister.

Shinde’s trust aide and former minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar made this clear while replying to media questions. Kesarkar has emerged as a competent spokesman and hence Shinde had entrusted the responsibility of facing the media to him in Guwahati itself. He said, “”Now, we are a family whose partner is the BJP. So, no talks without them.” The Shinde camp and the BJP have refrained from directly attacking Uddhav though it has been made amply known that the saffron alliance between the Shinde faction and the BJP will work as a united team. Hence, any overtures by the Sena are not likely to succeed, according to BJP insiders.

Things will begin soon to move with speed as the supreme court is slated to hear various petitions concerning the recent developments in Maharashtra. Mainly, they will include, the disqualification of 16 Sena MLAs by the deputy speaker, the decision of the Shinde faction to break away, the election of the assembly speaker and the trust vote won by the chief minister Shinde.

As the numerical superiority is with the saffron alliance, it is expected that the apex court will decide in its favour, the fundamental principle in democracy being a majority.

However, rather than taking any decision hastily, Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadanvis have decided to wait till the supreme court gives any ruling on the different petitions tomorrow, Monday 11 July.

Dilip Chaware
A veteran journalist, formerly Special Correspondent, The Times of India, Mumbai.

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