FILE photo: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
New Delhi/Mumbai:
On Sunday evening, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reportedly made a phone call to BJP chief Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present and also participated, sources at Matoshree - the Thackeray residence in Mumbai - claimed.
The sources said in the 10-12 minute conversation, Mr Thackeray asked for the past to be forgotten and suggested that the two parties move forward. The Prime Minster courteously agreed.
The Shiv Sena says with that call it has reached out to the BJP and now the latter must respond. For good measure, the Sena chief reportedly also called Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis - seen as a front runner for chief minister - and senior leader Om Mathur.
This morning's Saamna, the Sena newspaper, reminded the BJP that "no one party has got a clear mandate" in the Maharashtra elections.
In the Maharashtra Assembly results announced yesterday, the BJP posted its best performance to date winning 123 seats, but is 22 short of a majority and will need an ally to form government.
The Shiv Sena has come in second with 63 seats and, senior BJP leaders admit, is the most "natural fit" as an ally. The two parties were partners for 25 years in Maharashtra and split just last month over seat-sharing.
But the BJP has not rushed to respond to the Sena's overtures. In a role reversal, it will now play the senior partner and will call the shots if the alliance is renewed.
A further delay is likely now with senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda cancelling a trip today to Mumbai. They were to have presided over a formal meeting of the BJP's party legislators to pick the next chief minister, but the party reportedly wants to do that only once it has a clearer picture on government formation in Maharashtra.
That meeting at 3 pm will now only be an informal celebration.
The Sena's new MLAs are also meeting today. The Shiv Sena's bargaining power with the BJP was considerably curtailed by Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party offering "unconditional" external support to the BJP yesterday.
The Sena will count on the fact that the BJP will find it difficult to explain taking the support of a party that PM Modi attacked over allegations of corruption in the campaign for the state elections.
The sources said in the 10-12 minute conversation, Mr Thackeray asked for the past to be forgotten and suggested that the two parties move forward. The Prime Minster courteously agreed.
The Shiv Sena says with that call it has reached out to the BJP and now the latter must respond. For good measure, the Sena chief reportedly also called Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis - seen as a front runner for chief minister - and senior leader Om Mathur.
This morning's Saamna, the Sena newspaper, reminded the BJP that "no one party has got a clear mandate" in the Maharashtra elections.
In the Maharashtra Assembly results announced yesterday, the BJP posted its best performance to date winning 123 seats, but is 22 short of a majority and will need an ally to form government.
The Shiv Sena has come in second with 63 seats and, senior BJP leaders admit, is the most "natural fit" as an ally. The two parties were partners for 25 years in Maharashtra and split just last month over seat-sharing.
But the BJP has not rushed to respond to the Sena's overtures. In a role reversal, it will now play the senior partner and will call the shots if the alliance is renewed.
A further delay is likely now with senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda cancelling a trip today to Mumbai. They were to have presided over a formal meeting of the BJP's party legislators to pick the next chief minister, but the party reportedly wants to do that only once it has a clearer picture on government formation in Maharashtra.
That meeting at 3 pm will now only be an informal celebration.
The Sena's new MLAs are also meeting today. The Shiv Sena's bargaining power with the BJP was considerably curtailed by Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party offering "unconditional" external support to the BJP yesterday.
The Sena will count on the fact that the BJP will find it difficult to explain taking the support of a party that PM Modi attacked over allegations of corruption in the campaign for the state elections.
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