BJP-Sena meeting to sort differences yields no result

While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray opposed ally BJP’s land acquisition law on Tuesday, the co-ordination panel of both parties came together to iron out their differences.

While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray opposed ally BJP’s land acquisition law on Tuesday, the co-ordination panel of both parties came together to iron out their differences.

The first-ever meeting of the panel at Sahyadri, state guest house at Malabar Hill, was inconclusive, with BJP state unit president Raosaheb Danve likely to meet Thackeray on March 4 to decide some workable agreement ahead of the state budget session from March 9.

“We discussed what has been appearing in newspapers... It has been decided that I’ll meet Thackeray on March 4 and then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to sort out differences. There is no animosity between us. This will get sorted before the budget session,” Danve told HT.

Sena mouthpiece Saamana has taking digs at the BJP over the past few weeks, after the BJP’s poll debacle in Delhi. Thackeray had said the defeat was a verdict against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Editorials in the paper have slammed the BJP-led government on issues of farmers, death of rationalist and Communist leader Govind Pansare, BJP’s meddling in the Bihar issue, Development Plan of Mumbai and LED lights at Marine Drive, among other things.

“We spoke about issues to do with the coordination between ministries, the lack of powers given to Shiv Sena ministers, the differences in BMC on issues of Marine Drive lighting, the recent DP fall out, and also the cabinet expansion issue. Many of these issues will be raised in the meeting between Uddhavji and Danve, while others will be discussed with Fadnavis,” a senior Sena leader said.

While Sena is miffed at being sidelined in the government, BJP aired concern about the former’s aggressive editorials and opposition in public to its ally. Sena ministers Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote, MP Anil Desai were present for the meeting, while BJP was represented by Danve and co-operation minister Chandrakant Patil.