BJP leader Ashish Shelar. (File Photo) BJP MLA and former minister Ashish Shelar on Wednesday said that a three-party coalition government of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP was almost planned in 2017 but it could not be materialised following NCP’s objection to Sena’s presence in the tie-up.
It was the same NCP which later joined hands with the Sena to forge an alliance in Maharashtra, Shelar said during an interactive session ‘Drishtikon’ organised by Marathi daily Loksatta of the Indian Express Group. Shelar said a detailed discussion on seat-sharing between the three parties for 2019 Lok Sabha polls had also taken place.
Shelar said the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had a very friendly relationship during the leadership of late Bal Thackeray. “Under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, the equation between the alliance partners was marred because of the shallowness of the Shiv Sena, which consistently attacked the BJP,” he added.
Elaborating on the differences between the two parties, he said, “When Devendra Fadnavis led the Sena and BJP coalition in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena ministers used to threaten us with resignations. Despite enjoying the fruits of power, they continued to harass and humiliate the BJP.”
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As a result, he said, a decision was taken in 2017 to accommodate the NCP as an alliance partner. “The list of portfolios, which would be given to the NCP, was also discussed along with seat-sharing for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. A three-party coalition government was ready,” Shelar said.
“There were clear directives from the central leadership not to drop Shiv Sena from the alliance. But the NCP refused to share power with Shiv Sena and put forth a condition not to accommodate the party in the government. The BJP did not want to leave Sena as it shared a common ideology — Hindutva,” Shelar added. Recalling the equation between the Sena and the BJP during Bal Thackeray’s leadership, Shelar said, “Balasaheb kept his promise. The Sena-BJP alliance was founded on mutual respect and affection. There was always spontaneous give and take. However, under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, everything changed. It (the equation) was dotted with meanness and narrow-mindedness on Sena’s part. The Sena heaped insults and humiliated the BJP,” he added.
Shelar also accused the Shiv Sena of blatant misuse of power and police force to harass opponents in state.
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