Amid Maharashtra impasse, a video war on social media has been going on between recently friends-turned-foe Shiv Sena and BJP.
According to Indian Express, a video war broke out between estranged allies BJP and Shiv Sena over claims of who is speaking the truth in regard to the two parties deciding to share power equally. On Thursday, Sena supporters circulated a purported video on social media in which party chief Uddhav Thackeray is seen addressing the cadre at a hotel in Mumbai. The video is said to be shot on February 19, when BJP and Sena entered into an alliance for both the Lok Sabha and state elections. In the video, Uddhav can be hears saying that he has spoken about equal sharing of the post of the chief minister between the two parties.
“Did you understand what the CM has said? Equal posts and equal responsibilities, this means I have brought parity between the two parties. Over the last 25 years, there was this rule that the party that wins the maximum number of seats will get the CM’s post. I have not accepted this rule now. It is our dream that our chief minister should be installed,” Uddhav is heard saying in the purported video, reported Indian Express.
After Shiv Sena supporters released videos, BJP supporters also released a purported video on social media, in which Sena MLA from Digras, Sanjay Rathod, is seen telling a gathering that Devendra Fadnavis would become the next chief minister of Maharashtra. “I often look at the CM’s face. In spite of being under so much pressure, there is never any worry on his face. Through his calm demeanor, he has managed to get his work done. It is because of this that I have no doubt that he will be the chief minister of Maharashtra,” Rathod said in the purported video, reported Indian Express.
President's rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari sent a report to the Centre stating that formation of a stable government was impossible in the current situation despite all his efforts. The BJP and Shiv Sena, who fought the October 21 state elections in alliance, secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member Assembly.
But the BJP did not cede the Sena's demand of sharing the chief minister's post, leading to falling apart of the nearly three-decade-old alliance. The Congress and NCP have won 44 and 54 seats.
