BJP Confused as it Can't Topple Maha Govt, Says Sena After Patil Contradicts Party's 'Go Solo' Stand

The ruling Shiv Sena on Wednesday said the BJP seemed to be "confused" as it cannot topple the MVA government, a day after Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil's statement on patching up with the estranged ally left leaders in his party red faced.

Patil's statement is said to be contradictory to the "go solo" stand announced by the party president J P Nadda for Maharashtra.

Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had clarified that there was no proposal from either the BJP or the Sena to come together again.

The Sena said though the Narendra Modi government was handling the COVID-19 crisis well, the situation in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Haryana is worsening.

"In most of these states, BJP (acquired power by) destabilising previous governments," the editorial in party mouthpiece "Saamana" said.

If this pandemic has spread in states,the failure lies at the doors of the Prime Minister, it said.

Latching onto statements of Nadda, Fadnavis and Patil, which gave the perception of differences in the BJP, the Sena said the BJP shouldn't be in an illusion that the interests of the state can be served by aligning with that party only.

"If the BJP's parliamentary body recommends the state unit to forge an alliance with the Shiv Sena to protect the interest of the state...I must make one point clear that even if both the parties (the BJP and the Sena) come together, we will not contest any election jointly in future," Patil had told a Marathi news channel.

Hitting back, the Sena said, "Just because you couldn't play your brand of politics in Maharashtra, you can't cast aspersions on the existence of the state".

"JP Nadda had asked the state BJP to be aggressive so that it wins on its own strength. However, at the same time, Fadnavis says the Thackeray government doesn't exist in the state.

".....While state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil makes a childish statement that the BJP is ready to join hands with the Sena in the interests of the state," the editorial said.

When some BJP leaders criticise the Shiv Sena, how can the state's interest be served by aligning with it?, the editorial asked.

"The present Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by the Sena is in the interest of this state. The BJP is confused since it cannot topple the MVA government by force or horse trading," it said.

The BJP and its old ally Sena fell out over sharing the post of chief minister in Maharashtra after the 2019 Assembly elections.

The Sena then went on to join hands with the NCP and the Congress to form the government with Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister.

Patil had also said the BJP, being a national party, can't share the post of chief minister with any regional party, because if it does so then it will have to replicate the same formula in states like Bihar and Haryana.

In a virtual address from Delhi, Nadda on Monday told the party workers from Maharashtra to get ready to "bring the party to power on its own" in the state.