Maharashtra: BJP leaders choose to stay mum on crisis in Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: BJP leaders are treading cautiously amidst the crisis precipitated within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. While news channels have aired footage showing opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis's associates Sanjay Kute and Mohit Kambhoj accompanying the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs in Surat and Guwahati, the state leadership has chosen to deny all involvement in providing support to the dissidents.
Reacting to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's speech offering to step down, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said his party has "nothing to do" with what's transpiring in the Sena.

Observers said the wariness stems from past experience when overenthusiasm to form a government landed BJP in an embarrassing situation. Fadnavis was sworn in along with NCP's Ajit Pawar in a hastily arranged early morning ceremony, but the government could not prove its majority and lasted barely 80 hours.
Patil even refused to comment on Thackeray's demand that the next CM should be from the Sena. He was in Pune on Wednesday to welcome Varkaris (pilgrims) en route to Dehu for the annual pilgrimage. Asked who would perform this year's pooja (prayers) at Pandharpur for Aashadi Ekadashi, Patil said whoever is the chief minister at the time will do it. He said the BJP's core committee has not discussed anything on the issue of government formation. Raosaheb Danve, union minister of state for railways, said no Sena MLA was in touch with BJP. "We haven't spoken to Eknath Shinde. This is Shiv Sena's internal matter. The BJP has nothing to do with this. We are not staking claim to form the government," Danve told mediapersons.
Several BJP leaders conferred with opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence through the day. Former BJP member and now independent MLA from Mira-Bhayandar Gita Jain also called at his residence.
If a senior BJP leader is to be believed, BJP will stake claim to form the government only after the Sena faction led by rebel leader Eknath Shinde is recognized by the speaker. Once the group is recognized, Shinde will call on the Governor and demand a floor test on the ground that the MVA government has lost majority after a Sena group under Shinde's leadership had withdrawn support.
However, BJP is presently in no hurry to stake claim. "Our information is that while Shinde has managed to secure signatures of 34 legislators, he is still short of a few legislators to escape the provisions of the anti-defection law. As per the provisions of the anti-defection law, Shinde will require support of 37 legislators, then only it will be recognized as a split,'' a senior leader said.
On Wednesday, Shinde wrote to the Governor and deputy speaker informing them that he had appointed a new whip. "Shinde has claimed that he leads the Shiv Sena, but still it will require approval of the deputy speaker,'' former principal secretary (legislature secretariat) Anant Kalse said.