The State BJP, on Sunday, in its reaction to Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik’s request to CM Uddhav Thackeray to team up with the party, said the leadership would take a call if Thackeray considers it.
State BJP President Chandrakant Patil, who has been quite critical about the functioning of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said Sarnaik has proposed what he has been saying since the last 18 months that Sena and BJP are natural allies and Sena has joined hands to form the government with those parties who fought against them.
Patil said Shiv Sena formed the alliance with parties against whom Balasaheb Thackeray fought and he never played appeasement politics.
"Shiv Sena never compromised on its principles but has now started celebrating the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan,”he claimed.
Sarnaik has written a letter to his party chief urging him to team up with BJP. “The BJP leadership will consider the matter if Uddhav Thackeray also thinks along the same lines,” said Patil. He further stated that if he says anything positive about alliance, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna would say BJP is quite desperate for power.
‘’Power is a magnet. Sarnaik must have not written a letter only because he is facing action from the central investigating agencies,’’ said Patil. >>pXX
On the other hand, leader of opposition in the state council Pravin Darekar said it was not just Shiv Sainiks but a large number of leaders are also not happy with the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. “In private, they speak their heart out. This is the first letter. There will be many more such letters from disgruntled Sena leaders,” he noted.
Darekar said Sarnaik’s letter proves that the disenchantment is growing among Shiv Sainiks at the grassroots with the party-led government.
Sarnaik in his letter has urged Thackeray to team up with erstwhile ally BJP to save the party members from being harassed by central investigation agencies. He said that in the coming BMC and Thane municipal corporation elections, it would be good for Shiv Sena if it joins hands with the BJP.
