Maharashtra Government Faces No Threat: Shiv Sena Hits Out at BJP

MVA's parties are bearing attacks from the BJP, like Lord Krishna’s chariot through Kurukshetra, the editorial said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The meeting between Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again given rise to speculations about the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and how long it will last its tenure. Amid such speculations, meetings among MVA government’s ministers and political leaders have increased.

However, through the editorial in Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut on Thursday, 1 July, has clarified the current situation.

At the outset, clarifying that MVA government is not facing any imminent risk, Raut wrote, “Sharad Pawar met the chief minister on Tuesday, and engaged in hours long conversation. When Pawar left the chief minister’s residence, there were clear indications of satisfaction and happiness on his face."

He added, "A greater self-confidence can also be seen in the chief minister. Moreover, senior Congress leaders’ self-confidence too has found high ground. All of MVA’s three parties are enduring attacks from the BJP, like Lord Krishna’s chariot through Kurukshetra bearing all arrows and attacks.”

The important thing to note is that hints of what went down in Thackeray’s meeting with Modi, are given through today’s editorial.

Raut wrote, “What could have been discussed in Thackeray-Modi meeting that all of the media raced around mentioning formation of a new government? One thing that Thacekray surely would have discussed is that the responsibility of the present political equation in the state lies with the BJP."

He explains, "If BJP had not pushed Shiv Sena to such an extent as it did, it wouldn’t have been in power today. This would definitely have been talked about. That is why any amount of gratitude to the BJP in helping in the creation of today’s evergreen state system falls short.”

Explaining that no amount of pressure from the Centre will have an effect on the states, Raut said, “The opposition of the state is trying to create a stir by setting central investigative agencies after some ministers, MLAs, and entrepreneurs sympathetic to the government of Maharashtra."

He added, "Without relenting to such pressure, the only option the ruling party has is to retaliate. Recently, enforcement directorate (ED) had sent a notice to Pawar in a separate case, when Pawar came out on the road to go to the ED office. The atmosphere of Maharashtra was heated then.”

The editorial further adds, “The central government is deluding itself if it thinks that by using ED, CBI or our state governor, it can unsettle our state government."

It added, "Maharashtra, already facing COVID-19, economic crisis, unemployment, and natural calamities, has to see ED or CBI’s attempts as another ‘Sultani’ crisis and retaliate accordingly. Mamata Banerjee also fought with this ‘Sultanshahi’ in the same way and won. Maharashtra also has to choose the same path.”