Fadnavis downplays Maha BJP chief's optimism for Sena tie-up, says 'party to fight alone'

Amid the Maharashtra BJP president's willingness to tie-up with Shiv Sena once again, Leader of Opposition and former CM Devendra Fadnavis issued a clarification on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil did not rule out a tie-up with the Sena, while stressing that the latter will have to give up support of NCP and Congress before the end of the MVA government's 5-year tenure. According to Fadnavis, BJP would contest the next Assembly polls alone.

He stressed that neither BJP nor Shiv Sena had sent an alliance proposal to each other. The BJP leader reiterated that no such proposal is under consideration. Speaking to Republic TV, Patil had mentioned that the final call regarding the possibility of an alliance with the Sena shall be taken by BJP's central leadership. BJP and former ally Sena had a bitter fallout after the 2019 Assembly election owing to the latter's demand for rotational CM. 

Talking to the media, Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "What Chandrakant Patil said was in response to a question. He made it clear that we (BJP) will contest the election alone. I want to reiterate that we have not sent an alliance proposal to Shiv Sena nor has the Sena given us any proposal. No such proposal is under consideration."

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Fadnavis slams MVA alliance

On Monday, Fadnavis took a jibe at the functioning of the MVA government in Maharashtra. Taking forward the 'three-wheeler' analogy used by Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray in the recent Saamana interview, Fadnavis taunted that the autorickshaw driver does not decide the direction in which the vehicle will go. Thackeray had asserted that he is at the steering wheel, implying that he is control of the government. 

Elaborating on his point, the BJP leader stated that the passengers sitting in the autorickshaw decided the direction of the vehicle. He was referring to the alleged interference of Congress and NCP in the working of the state government. In another jibe at Thackeray, he indirectly indicated that the Maharashtra CM's future depended on the mercy of Congress and NCP, the allies of Shiv Sena. Alleging that all three political parties are moving in different directions, Fadnavis contended that Maharashtra was suffering as a result.