The demand of Shiv sena although may look politically correct, but from the democratic and electoral per se, looks so immature, unreasonable and unjustifiable. When the political parties form alliance during election season based on mutual electoral benefit, consolidation of the vote back and avoidance of vote division.
Based on the number of seats won by the parties, the share of each alliance partner is formulated and then government is formed. Shiv Sena formed pre-poll alliance with BJP and contested the election. Both parties together got seat well above the half-way mark in Maharashtra assembly so both these parties were expected to form government together.
But Shiv Sena started to bicker and threaten that if the formula of rotational chief minister-ship and 50% share in ministerial berth are not assured by BJP in writing, Shiv Sena may not support BJP. Many such issues Shiv Sena could have solved indoor but Shiv Sena chose to dry its underwear in open and that had upset the voters of Maharashtra and also tarnished its own image.
Shiv Sena did not stop with the politics of writing own epitaph, but went to an extent to say it would even dare to seek the support of NCP and Congress party and form Government. Actually such political gesture has fixed the last nail in the coffin of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra politics. In fact Shiv Sena has taken the voters of the state for granted for its political advantage.
After the demise of Balasaheeb Thackeray, the base of Shiv Sena has been shrinking mostly due to its dynastic politics and politics centred around one family. On the other hand BJP is growing and today BJP is the number one party in Maharashtra. Lack of leadership, trust, vision, politics of confusion and unworthiness are hurting Shiv Sena. Even if Shiv Sena forms government with the support of NCP and Congress it may not last long and sooner than later Maharashtra has to embrace another election. In such situation, Shiv Sena would disappear and on the other hand, the Maratha based NCP would grow at the expense of Shiv Sena. The non-Maratha base of BJP is likely to increase.
The fight in future shall be between NCP and BJP where Shiv Sena would move from merciful state to begging state where NCP and Congress may serve diktat which Shiv Sena has to budge. Whereas the alliance with BJP is mutually rewarding, dignity and respect based and also due to ideological relationship at the umbilical cord level between the two parties.
Many legislators from Shiv Sena may also break away from the party and support BJP and such situation would only further weaken the party. Today Shiv Sena looks easily poachable than NCP or Congress because nothing is there to poach. The present political thinking of Shiv Sena to go with NCP, congress and dynastic culture rooted so deeply as reflected by the recent entrant to Maharashtra assembly from the family of Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray likely to be either CM with the support of NCP, Congress or deputy CM in BJP coalition has upset many senior most leaders in the party who have had long history of serving the party. But today the party wants its legislatures to serve the family more than the party and the family would take the final call according to what would benefit the family.
If a fresh election is called for, BJP will sweep and such fear is there with all political parties in the state such as Shiv Sena, NCP and congress. Had BJP contested alone, BJP would have swept the election where BJP had lost several of its candidates to NCP mostly due to Maratha factor and Siva sena. On the other hand, the Hindutwa factor and Modi factor had helped Shiv Sena in several constituencies.
Even a small shift in Maratha base to NCP and BJP is enough to make BJP the clear winner and nevertheless Shiv Sena would disappear.
NCP has tactfully spread its net and hope Shiv Sena shall not fall into it due to its political over-ambition. The inexperienced and politically naive Uddhav Thackeray cannot handle Maharashtra politics with the support of NCP where its leader is a giant killer in Indian politics who knows everything about Maharashtra politics.
Hope Shiv Sena surrenders its ego, over-ambition and politics of immaturity and joins the BJP to take the state to next level with the guidance of Modi.
