BMC Election: Shiv Sena-BJP alliance talk grinds to a halt

The ultimate decision will now lie with Uddhav Thackeray and CM Devendra Fadnavis

Considering the long-standing alliance between the Sena and the BJP, it's a tough pill to swallow that after a second round of seat-sharing talks for the BMC polls, it has all come to a grinding halt. Now, even as they are blaming each other for the debacle, they are also pointing fingers at each other's leaders and painting them as the villains for the crisis.

Apparently, in a bid to figure out the mood within their camps - from ticket aspirants, sitting corporators to middle-level leaders - the two parties did not exchange the list of probable candidates as was originally planned. However, even as the Sena is reluctant to part with 114 seats for the BJP as most are held by Sena corporators, many are also shaken because the nomination process starts on January 27 with no resolution in sight.

Meanwhile, the negotiators want CM Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to take a final call.

Even as the BJP has claimed that the CM is all for an alliance, but the Sena is making things difficult by making unwarranted statements through Sena mouthpiece Saamna, the Sena has refused to proceed further and asked the CM to instead reprimand BJP leaders for making a statement against Thackeray. To that end, an angry Sena wanted city BJP chief Ashish Shelar and MP Kirit Somaiya to stop making inflammatory statements, but the BJP said the two were right in responding to Thackeray's ‘jumla' (empty promise) jibe against PM Narendra Modi.

BJP's stand
Senior BJP leader and education minister Vinod Tawde said on Friday that the BJP did not object when the Sena sent a group of junior leaders to discuss alliance.

"The same leaders are now making statements in media instead of sharing their concerns with us in our meetings. It seems they have something else on their minds. Do they really want an alliance with us?" said the minister.

Sena's counter
Sena leader Anil Parab, meanwhile, said that his party would go ahead only when the BJP asks Shelar and Somaiya to "shut up".

Shelar had accused Thackeray of lifting the BJP's idea of freebie manifesto, while Somaiya has been hitting hard at corruption in the Sena-controlled BMC.

CM, Thackeray hold key
Sources said that a final agreement now would largely depend on Thackeray's approach. "The Sena will have to sacrifice a lot to make the alliance a reality. The BJP will try to grab as many favourable seats," said the leader close to the developments.