Reaching out? Let's not fight anymore, Shiv Sena goes soft on BJP ahead of results

While the BJP refrained from speaking out against the Shiv Sena throughout its campaign in Maharashtra, there was little restraint from the former regional partner, who attacked the BJP’s star campaigner Narendra Modi throughout the campaign. However, in a new editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena has hinted at conciliatory moves towards its former ally saying there’s no need for argument any more while also debunking the exit polls for the elections. “There is no need for any argument or bitterness any more. Hearts have been broken. To mend this is difficult but Maharashtra needs stability and peace and it is better that we wait for the day of counting!” the editorial said. The party in its editorial added that the exit polls amounted to disrespect for the people’s decision in the elections but said that media houses were merely doing their jobs to earn a livelihood. “We believe in the people. On 19 October the saffron flag will flutter victoriously and those studios giving numbers today will become broke and roam like beggars on the streets,” the editorial said. [caption id=“attachment_1760979” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Will Uddhav make up with the BJP? PTI image[/caption] Asking pollsters not to test the patience of the people, the editorial praised voters saying that the BJP government had understood their calibre which is why the council of ministers had put down all their work to come and campaign for the party in the state. “If the Congress had been in power then they would have done the same. We shouldn’t take these issues too seriously,” the editorial said. Exit polls have widely predicted that the Shiv Sena, once the bigger regional power in the state, is set to play second fiddle to the BJP. Estimates of the party’s success range from 59 seats on the lower end to 77 on the higher end. The party at its peak had won 73 seats in 1995, which helped them lead an alliance with BJP that unseated the Congress. In 1999, again in alliance with the BJP, Sena bagged 69 seats. However, in 2004 the Sena’s tally dropped to 62 and by 2009 it hit a low of 44 seats. In the run up to the state elections the editorials in the Saamna had also been particularly bitter with the party blaming the BJP for not respecting its contribution to its victory in the Lok Sabha elections. In a personal attack a day before polling, an editorial in the Saamna had said Modi did not win the Lok Sabha elections on his own. “Now when Modi is the PM, he does not recognise the Maharashtra party anymore. He had indicated this at the time of the formation of Cabinet after winning Lok Sabha elections”, the editorial said. The Shiv Sena chief added that if his party did not extend support, even Modi’s father, Damodardas, could not have won a majority in the Lok Sabha elections. There are also reports that the Shiv Sena might not be too inclined towards an alliance with the BJP after the results are out on 19 October to avoid being seen as power hungry. While it may be a comedown from 199 where the party had complete control over the alliance and had its candidate picked to become the Chief Minister, the Shiv Sena may just be readying to embrace the BJP again, even if it means it’s no longer the one that gets to pull the strings.