Maharashtra not a slave to Delhi: Shiv Sena reminds BJP that 'slavery died with Hitler'

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena, in another firebrand editorial piece in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', has launched an assault on their prospective ally ⁠— the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ⁠— reminding that "slavery died along with Hitler" and Maharashtra will not be a 'slave' to the central government at Delhi.

The Saamana editorial piece began with scoffing at the supposed failure of the Union Home Ministry in handling the law and order situation of the country. For this purpose, the piece cited the ongoing scuffle between the Delhi police and the lawyers that ensued following the clash at the Tis Hazari court in Delhi over a parking issue. It was seen that the policemen had taken to the streets, breaking the law, and protested, the piece elaborated, adding that neither the police nor the lawyers obeyed the orders of the Delhi Police Commissioner or the High Court, respectively. Since Delhi is a Union Territory, the editorial reminded, the law and order situation is the responsibility of the Union Home Ministry, however, "Anarchy has been established", it claimed — which, according to the Shiv Sena, is a signifier of the central government's failure.

The piece then went on to draw some interesting historical analogies. Insisting that civilisation cannot proceed without continuous diligence and hard work, the editorial lamented the fact that hardworking people like farmers and labourers are without jobs in this country and facing unemployment because the ruling government has become complacent and degraded the importance of hard work. The rulers have become slavedrivers, the piece elaborated, and hard work and labour are now seen as lowly. Which would be a wrong viewpoint, Saamana insisted, claiming that even the Roman Empire had historically flourished due to hard work and diligence, and seeing the once glorious Marathas in such an impoverished condition is not warranted. The piece said that the complacent mentality of slavedrivers had, in history, arrived due to the degradation of the value of hard work or labour when they began to be seen as lowly menial jobs and fated these jobs to slavery. However, "The shadow of slavery died with Hitler and Maharashtra will not be a slave to the central government in Delhi", the Shiv Sena declared.

In a veiled reference to the BJP, Saamana said that the party which ruled on fear for five years has been left in bewilderment itself. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared outgoing CM Devendra Fadnavis as the chief ministerial candidate immediately after the results of state assembly election were announced. "However, Fadnavis could not take oath despite having blessings from Delhi as the next CM as Home Minister Amit Shah remained isolated from the events in Maharashtra," the Saamana piece said.

"Shiv Sena, which is the largest party of the 'Mahayuti', not willing to talk to the outgoing Chief Minister, is the biggest defeat of the BJP," editorial said while asserting that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will decide on who will become the next CM of Maharashtra.

Hinting at a possible alliance between Shiv Sena and the NCP, Saamana said that senior politician in the state Sharad Pawar will be instrumental in government formation in Maharashtra and added that several Congress MLAs have also met party chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi. They also told Sonia Gandhi that the decision of Maharashtra should be handed over to Maharashtra only, Saamana claimed.

"The next chief minister of Maharashtra should not be from the BJP is the unified mandate of the state," the Shiv Sena said while adding that they will ensure this to all costs.

As Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday invited the BJP to form the government, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said it will vote against the saffron party on the floor of the House and will try to form an alternative government in the interest of the state.

The governor invited the BJP as the single-largest party in the state to form the government even as the deadlock with alliance partner Shiv Sena continues, 16 days after the state assembly results were declared on October 24.

The Shiv Sena and the BJP - the two parties that contested the recently-held assembly elections together - have failed to reach an agreement, creating an impasse in the state.

The Shiv Sena's claim of 50-50 government formula, asking for the chief minister's post of two and half years has not been accepted by the BJP.

The BJP won 105 seats and Shiv Sena grabbed 56, together they have the numbers to form the government but both the parties have not been able to break the impasse on sharing the chief minister's post.

If the BJP refuses to form a minority government or fails to prove its majority, the Shiv Sena, the second-largest party, may stake claim to form the government.

The BJP claims to have the support of 121 members, including independents and leaders from other smaller parties, in the 288-member assembly.

However, Shiv-Sena secured 56 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, falling way below the half-way mark of 145 and therefore cannot form the government in Maharashtra independently.

The Shiv Sena could form the government if it seeks support from the Congress and NCP which have 44 and 54 seats respectively. However, the chiefs of both parties have so far refused to commit support to the Shiv Sena.

(With inputs from DNA)