Shiv Sena, LJP in no hurry to part ways with NDA

Vibha Sharma

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29

In spite of a raucous relationship with the Shiv Sena and active posturing by the Lok Janashakti Party, top BJP leaders claim none of their partners are yet in a hurry to move out of the NDA coalition.

So while BJP chief Amit Shah might have told party’s Maharashtra workers to prepare for contesting the 2019 elections on their own after the Sena’s decision to abstain from the no-confidence motion in Parliament, they say the two sides will initiate real political moves (whether to stay together or separate) only after Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Till then, the blow-hot-blow-cold relationship will continue with both sides holding on to see the people’s last verdict ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. LJP leaders have made it clear that they are upset, but they are not in favour of snapping ties with the NDA, the support to which was “issue-based and aimed at protecting interests of Dalit communities”.

The party is demanding restoration of original provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and removal of former Supreme Court Judge AK Goel from the post of the NGT Chairperson.

Sources maintain that the Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is also waiting for the turn of events in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. While he is believed to be okay with contesting the Lok Sabha elections with the BJP as per the old formula of seat-sharing, he wants a new arrangement for the Assembly poll.

Though the Sena has been venting its anger publicly, whether it is through distancing itself from the BJP in the no-confidence or praising Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, political observers do not rule out the possibility of it carrying on with the BJP. The Sena has limited options, sources say, adding that both sides have left their doors ajar. In any case, the separation can only happen if the Sena exits from the Central and state governments like the TDP had.

For the BJP also, the Sena is a necessity. Leaders believe the BJP will have an easy fight in 2019 as no Congress or any other Opposition leader can pose a challenge to PM Narendra Modi. However with Opposition parties attempting alliances to pose a direct fight with the BJP on each and every seat, it could be a different ball game. It needs to hold on to existing friends and build new relationships to thwart the possibility of individual challenges by regional satraps.