BJP leaders asked not to attack Thackerays, kindle reunion hopes

The BJP is still hopeful of a reunion with its estranged partner in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena, even though the party has quit the NDA fold to form the government with NCP and Congress.

The BJP high command has issued strict instructions to all its central leaders, including spokespersons and ministers, not to criticise Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray or his son or others personally, according to highly placed sources.

RSS leaders have also categorically told the BJP not to push out Shiv Sena, the sources said.

The Sena, NCP and the Congress are finalising the common minimum programme for the formation of the coalition government and a meeting is set to be held between NCP and Congress chiefs, Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi to sort out issues in the alliance.

Sources said the developments in Maharashtra would be watched from a distance in order to “let Sena-NCP-Congress prepare their Khichdi and run the government as they wish”. The leaders believe a silver lining may emerge later.

Union road minister Nitin Gadkari has said that politics is like a game of cricket and can swing in any direction.

The BJP leadership has decided that Home Minister and party president Amit Shah alone will speak on Shiv Sena and Thackerays and present the BJP’s point of view.

The development comes even as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance held a meeting on Sunday (November 17), a day ahead of the beginning of the winter session of Parliament. The Sena, which used to be part of the alliance, did not attend the meeting.

The BJP is extremely upset that it is losing a big state like Maharashtra even after winning it in alliance with the Sena. They are finding it hard to accept that NCP’s Pawar played his cards very well by forcing Sonia Gandhi to change her strategy to support an ideological opponent and accept Sena leader as CM.

Meanwhile, hardliners in the BJP see an opportunity in Sena’s departure — that they will be the sole torchbearers of Hindutva now.

They will see how Sena, which was created on the Hindutva plank and stridently followed it aggressively over Ram temple issue, would carry out its Hindutva agenda now.

The BJP leadership will keep an eye on developments in the coming future, especially Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya on November 24.