New Delhi: BJP’s frosty relationship with alliance partner Shiv Sena seems to be thawing with Udhhav Thackeray meeting PM Narendra Modi late on Monday night and referring to him as his “elder brother”. Mr Thackeray is even believed to have agreed to meet the BJP regularly for better coordination.
After breathing fire against the BJP leadership and even describing the Modi government as the “worst ever regime”, a senior BJP leader said that the ‘Sena supremo praised both Mr Modi and the NDA government at the Centre for its development agenda’. Mr Thackeray had also held a separate meeting with BJP president Amit Shah ahead of the NDA meeting, where both leaders, sources said, decided to hold regular meetings on issues for better coordination. They also mutually agreed to avoid making public statements against each other, which could affect the ties. Mr Thackeray also appreciated the loan waiver scheme by the UP government and hoped the NDA government in Maharashtra would also implement the same.
Mr Thackeray also cracked a joke during his address to the NDA conclave, drawing a hearty laugh from Mr Modi, sources said. BJP-Sena ties had soured ever since BJP had insisted on making its leader Devendra Fadnavis the chief minister of Maharashtra, where Sena is considered the big brother of the alliance.
During the recently-concluded civic body polls in the state, Sena had slammed the BJP and the chief minister over various issues and both allies had contested the prestigious BMC polls separately. Sena had joined the Opposition against the demonetisation decision and was vociferous in its criticism of the BJP in party mouthpiece Saamana.
With the presidential elections around the corner, the BJP is hopeful of securing the support of the Sena’s contingent of 18 MPs and 63 MLAs after the Shah-Thackeray meeting. Sena had embarrassed BJP in the 2012 presidential polls by backing UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, while the saffron party supported P.A. Sangma for the post.
