In an expected u-turn from its announcement last January that it would go it alone in this year’s elections, Shiv Sena has agreed to a seat-sharing pact with BJP. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has wrested a pretty good deal from BJP president Amit Shah. In 2014 Sena got to contest 20 Lok Sabha seats to BJP’s 24, this time Sena will contest 23 and BJP 25.
This is hardly a case of Sena playing elder brother in the saffron alliance, as the party mouthpiece Saamna has repeatedly demanded. But it’s an appreciable ceding of ground by BJP. The parties have cited a common Hindutva ideology and national interest. But paramount is self-interest.
Sena is facing an existential crisis with its Marathi manoos agenda losing traction, BJP is facing anti-incumbency both in the Centre and state, and an impending Congress-NCP gathbandhan is ranging threateningly against both of them. While the going won’t be smooth, with a pre-poll alliance BJP-Sena have put their best foot forward for the big battle.