Kaun Banega Chief Minister? Sena Takes a Dig at Top BJP leader

Mumbai: The latest editorial in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna has set off a political row with an apparent dig at Gopinath Munde, the most prominent leader of its ally BJP in Maharashtra.

Mr Munde, who is likely to lead the BJP in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year, is the Rural Development Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of Ministers.

The Sena-BJP alliance - which won 42 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra -- is expected to stage a political comeback in the Assembly elections. But with both parties reportedly eyeing the Chief Minister's post, cracks have begun to show in the 25-year-old alliance.

The editorial stated, "BJP state unit president Devendra Fadnavis said we have loaned Gopinath Munde to Delhi for three months. After three months, we will bring him back with interest".

"At present, a game is going on in Maharashtra: who will be the Chief Minister? No one can deny the fact that each one is gearing up to become the chief minister," it added.

Equations between the allies have been further complicated by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who recently announced his decision to contest the Assembly Elections. He also indicated that he is willing to be the MNS's chief ministerial candidate.

Since then, Sena workers have been urging party chief and Raj's estranged cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, to contest the Assembly elections as the party's chief ministerial candidate.

Fissures in the Sena-BJP alliance are likely to deepen if Mr Thackeray decides to vie for the top post.

The Sena, BJP's biggest ally with 18 seats in the Lok Sabha, also sounded a note of caution in the editorial.

"Instead of worrying about who will lead and who will follow, the BJP should take note of Narendra Modi's clear instructions: they should not just fight a good battle but fight to win," it says.

Mr Fadnavis refused to comment on the editorial, but said, "There are six parties in the Mahayuti (alliance). Together, we will decide which party will contest which seat".