Shiv Sena set to play hardball with BJP

Mumbai: Despite reduction in the number of seats, the Shiv Sena will be calling the shots in the alliance as its bargaining power is likely to increase due to the setbacks suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Sena will demand more than its pound of flesh by asking for the chief minister’s post on a 50:50 basis.

In the 2014 Vidhan Sabha polls, the Sena had won 63 seats after it broke the alliance with the BJP and fought separately.

This time, after again joining hands with the BJP, it was expected to do better and increase its tally.

But, the Sena could win only 56 seats. Ironically though, these reduced numbers might actually help the Sena have a major say in the sharing of power as the BJP’s tally has also come down to 104 from the 122 last time.

This will help the Sena negotiate with its senior ally and extract more, according to experts.

Five years ago, the Sena had to be content with minor portfolios, as the BJP refused to part with important departments.

This time however, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is unlikely to give in due to the changed arithmetic in the new Assembly.

Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut has already set the ball rolling, saying that the party will insist on the 50:50 formula during formation of the government.

Sources have indicated that the Sena could even insist on dividing the five-year tenure of the government and occupy the chief minister’s office for two-and-a-half years.

The Sena has been projecting Aaditya Thackeray as its chief ministerial candidate.

If the BJP refuses to allot the highest post to it, it might settle for the deputy chief minister’s post for Aaditya. But the Thackeray-led party is very likely to play hardball with the BJP for other plum portfolios in the cabinet.