Cong, NCP not in favour of aligning with Shiv Sena

Watch What Else Is making News

The BJP is, however, confident. “During the elections, Congress, NCP and Sena united to take on Fadnavis’s development and demonetisation planks. They got answer from the people,” said a leader.

Fadnavis has reiterated that there is no threat to the stability of his government.

The dilemma for Shiv Sena is manifold. Any attempt to shake hands with the Congress and the NCP in the BMC and zilla parishads to keep BJP out of power would relegate it to a secondary party in the next assembly elections in 2019. Also, explaining its support to the BJP in the state and opposition in civic bodies would be a difficult task.

Speaking to The Indian Express, an AICC functionary monitoring Maharashtra politics said, “The foremost challenge for the Congress and the NCP is to first set their own houses in order. To begin with, the problem lies in the mistrust within. The real issue is not about getting Sena on board. Our decision to forge alliances in eight to ten zilla parishads should translate into pre-poll alliance in the 2019 assembly elections if we want to avoid vote division and consolidate our own base.”

NCP president Sharad Pawar’s flip-flop on BJP and Shiv Sena has also sent confusing signals within the state unit. An old Pawar loyalist said, “Nobody can question Pawar’s politics. But then what message are we giving to our workers if you extend support to BJP in 2014 post assembly polls, and now keep your options open for supporting Shiv Sena in the BMC.”

Also Pawar’s flip-flop on mid-term polls is perceived by his rivals as a ploy to destabilise the government in Maharashtra.

Commenting on NCP politics, a senior Sena minister said, “No political party is ready for mid-term polls. After the poll results, there is no reason why anybody would play the gamble and seek mid-term polls.”

Not wishing to be named, most of top state leaders in the Congress and the NCP spoken to categorically said no to mid-term polls.

The Congress, the NCP and the Sena, which made Centre’s demonetisation decision a common plank in the elections, found that it did not bring the desired electoral gains despite unrest in rural Maharashtra.

State Congress president Ashok Chavan said, “We will have to review the poll results in detail.” NCP MP Supriya Sule too spoke about the need for introspection.