Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for boasting about its capability to provide a stable government in the state, taunting that the new political equation between the Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress was “giving stomach ache to many people”.
“After the imposition of President’s rule in the state, the party, which had expressed its inability to form the government, is now claiming that only it will form the government. How is it possible?” a Saamana editorial read.
The editorial also hinted that the saffron party might indulge in horse-trading to shore up its numbers in the Legislative Assembly.
“The party does not have the majority, but how can it get it now? However, with the murder of democracy and morality, ‘magic figure’ can be reached”, the Sena editorial read.
While warning that unethical ways would not suit the political traditions of the state, the editorial further read, “...the intention of horse-trading stands exposed now. The lies of those promising transparent governance are becoming evident now.”
Slamming the BJP leadership for maligning the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Sena said that the ongoing impasse over government formation in Maharashtra was tarnishing the image of Mr Modi.
On Friday, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil claimed his party had the backing of 119 MLAs, including Independents, and that the government cannot be formed without it.
Moreover, Mr Fadnavis on Thursday had told newly-elected members that the BJP would form the government as there was no other option.
Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that BJP feared that politicians who joined the party ahead of the Assembly polls would defect.
Hitting out at Mr Fadnavis over his recent remark that a non-BJP government will not last for more than six months, Mr Malik taunted that the former chief minister spoke like the general of a defeated army trying to boost the morale of his men.
Mr Malik said, “We think the party has been defeated. It will have to accept this. The BJP is not ready to accept defeat.”
Reacting to Mr Patil’s Friday remark, the NCP spokesperson questioned the BJP on its failure to form the government in Maharashtra.
The state was placed under President’s rule on November 12 after no party was able to form a government, though the BJP and Sena won a comfortable majority in the elections.
