Nana Patole, the President of Maharashtra Congress, is giving a hard time to Shiv Sena. A few days ago, he said that the current alliance is not a “permanent fixture” and by the next election, Congress would form a majority government on its own.“This is not a permanent state of affairs. Every party has the right to strengthen its organisation,” said Mr Patole, while detailing the Congress’ COVID-19 relief efforts.
“Our leader Sonia Gandhi’s stand to be a part of the MVA was to prevent the BJP from coming to power,” Patole added amid the ongoing cold war between the Shiv Sena and the Congress in Maharashtra.
The party now fears that the Congress party is planning an ultimate coup against Shiv Sena before the next election, whenever it will be. An editorial published in the Hindi edition of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna on 17th June criticized the Congress party for talking about the next assembly election amid Corona and protest by OBC, Maratha, and Dhangar leaders for reservation.
In the last few days, Shiv Sena leaders including Sanjay Raut have praised PM Modi multiple times and repeatedly criticized the Congress party. The relations between Shiv Sena and Congress are estranged since a few months after the alliance, with both not leaving a single chance to attack the other.
Previously after Sanjay Raut said that he wants Sharad Pawar to take over as UPA chairman from Congress’s first lady Sonia Gandhi, the state leaders of the party warned him to watch his tongue.
Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat reiterated that Sonia Gandhi “remain head of the UPA for a long time”. Responding to Raut’s statement on the next UPA Chairperson, Thorat said, “Raut is a senior leader. He should be careful before making any comments.”
Sanjay Raut’s statement led to massive outrage in the Congress ranks, with senior leader Ashok Chavan going on to say that the Shiv Sena was not a part of the UPA, and as such, had no business commenting on who should be the chairperson and who should not.
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“The alliance we have with Shiv Sena is limited to Maharashtra, based on a common minimum programme. Shiv Sena is legally not a part of UPA. And a party which is not part of the UPA, must not comment on its leadership,” said Chavan.
And since then, the Congress and Shiv Sena have been hotly sparring on the proposition of the latter to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar. State Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the Sena’s stand was “hypocritical” and questioned the party over why it had not raised the issue in the last five years when it was part of the government in the state as well as the Centre, in alliance with the BJP.
Given the unease between the two parties, it is very much evident that the MVA alliance would not last long, and even if it does, the ultimate loser would be Shiv Sena whose voter base will be divided between the rest of the three parties. Shiv Sena is just one election away from being diminished.