Troubles do not seem to end for the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in Maharashtra, even as the coalition seems to have run into greater trouble ever since the Uddhav Thackeray led Sena started locking horns with the Sharad Pawar led NCP.
Sharad Pawar, the NCP Supremo, called for a meeting of all the NCP ministers after CM Uddhav Thackeray overruled their will and decided to go ahead with NPR. Above that, a recent clash of interests between the two parties has emerged, sitting MLA from the Khed constituency, NCP leader, Dilip Mohite and former Khed MLA, Shiv Sena’s Suresh Gore has reportedly sparred over the construction of the local Panchayat Samiti.
What doesn’t look like a major issue might become a point of confrontation between the two parties given that the sitting NCP MLA and former Sena MLA have taken up the issue before their party bosses?
Last week, strong fissures emerged within the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Shiv Sena supremo has defied the will of Sharad Pawar on two major issues- the National Population Register (NPR) exercise and the Bhima Koregaon case.
There were reports about the Uddhav Thackeray led Maharashtra government stating that it had no objection in NIA taking over the Bhima Koregaon probe.
The Bhima Koregaon case is close to the NCP, which has been strongly pushing for withdrawal of prosecution against some of the prime accused. The Sena chief has however snubbed Pawar strongly by consenting to the NIA probe instead.
On the issue of NPR, Maharashtra CM, Udhhav Thackeray has agreed to go ahead with the National Population Register (NPR) in the state of Maharashtra.
Sources even say that the Shiv Sena supremo is keen to get the exercise implemented in the state by May 1, something that comes as a major snub to the Sena’s allies- Congress and the NCP, both of whom have been staunchly opposing the NPR in the background of the recent anti-CAA violence across the country.
Such major snubs to Pawar who has been seen as the one virtually running the coalition do not augur well for the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. While Uddhav Thackeray is the Maharashtra CM, Pawar has been largely seen as the one actually calling the shots within the incumbent ruling coalition in Maharashtra.
It is important to mention here that till now, the Shiv Sena was sparring only with the Congress over the manner in which the grand old party was repeatedly insulting Veer Savarkar- the larger than life Hindutva icon. However, rifts between Shiv Sena and the Congress were not such a huge matter of concern, as the NCP- the real party in control of the alliance was able to reconcile all such matters.
But now Uddhav Thackeray has not only tried to exercise independence, but he has also virtually overruled Sharad Pawar over two main issues. This is bound to drive a deeper wedge in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.
When the Congress and the Shiv Sena were fighting over the legacy of Veer Savarkar, the NCP led by Sharad Pawar, who seems like the one in real control of the alliance, played peacemaker.
But there is no one who can placate the rising tensions and divisions between the NCP and the Shiv Sena now. Therefore, it is only likely that things keep getting worse from here as far as the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance is concerned. Even as Uddhav Thackeray locks horns directly with Sharad Pawar, it seems like the beginning of the end for the ruling coalition.