Worried BJP-Sena to ignore MNS rants, focus on session

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena alliance has decided to counter the Mahara-shtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) by ignoring its chief Raj Thack-eray’s rhetoric against them.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena alliance has decided to counter the Mahara-shtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) by ignoring its chief Raj Thack-eray’s rhetoric against them.

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The partners expect the strategy will help them salvage their sagging image in the budget session of the state legislature that began on Monday amid sparring between the BJP-Sena and MNS. Following the day’s development, senior BJP and Sena leaders held a closed-door meeting in the evening to formulate a counter plan. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray addressed a joint meeting of legislators, asking them to stick together.

“The MNS has managed to create an impression that there is a crack in the opposition. This is not true. We have decided not to retaliate and concentrate on our official agenda in the legislature,” said a senior BJP leader after the meeting.

Other than Uddhav, opposition leader in assembly Eknath Kha-dse, leader of opposition in the council Vinod Tawde and other seniors also attended the meeting. “There is enough entertainment in cinema and theatre, and politicians do not need to be a part of it. They should concentrate on important issues like drought," Uddhav said mocking the MNS.

MNS legislators have decided to aggressively target Khadse in particular. They want to know why Khadse went after one builder in each session, and then did not take the matter forward in the next one.

“What more do we need to show how a major opposition party is behaving and betraying the people with such compromises," said MNS legislator Mangesh Sangle.