Advertisement

Updated November 25th, 2018 at 10:19 IST

In Ram Temple dare, Sena bargaining chip for Maharashtra

For all the chest thumping build up to his Ayodhya visit, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray's speech at Laxman Kila in the temple town Saturday turned out to be a calm, persuasive nudge, aimed more at aggrandizement than challenge

Reported by: Abhishek Kapoor
| Image:self
Advertisement

Ayodhya, Nov 25 | For all the chest thumping build up to his Ayodhya visit, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray's speech at Laxman Kila in the temple town Saturday turned out to be a calm, persuasive nudge, aimed more at aggrandizement than challenge. For example he did not make Ram Temple at Ayodhya a pre-condition for continuing the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Berating the BJP for its failure to have moved in the direction of the temple, he said his intention was to get it done irrespective of who got the credit. It's not difficult to understand the Thackeray scion's predicament. Once a junior partner, BJP took senior position in Maharashtra saffron alliance riding the 2014 Modi wave. Much to Sena's consternation this happened at it's own expense, as both fish in the same pond of Hindutva for votes. The fact that numbers in the Assembly might determine seat share during 2019 Lok Sabha elections must be a constant worry as well for the Sena.

With this backdrop, Uddhav's Ayodhya move can be seen to have a couple of objectives. To begin with, it helps him strengthen his claim over the Hindu Hriday Samrat legacy of his father Balasaheb Thackeray. Larger than life posters of Balasaheb were ubiquitous in Ayodhya and formed the backdrop of the main stage. Two, with the slogan 'Temple first, government later' Uddhav is forcing BJP to put a deadline to the issue. Pressuring an ally adds to the bargaining chip is the belief. If the vote is for Hindutva then the Sena move ups the ante for the BJP. 

With the RSS too pressing on the pedal with none other than its Chief Mohan Bhagwat advocating a legislative route, Sena strategists might think BJP would be under adequate pressure to be less transactional during negotiations for the 2019 polls.

The BJP too has shown signs of a tactical accommodation of Sena. Sources in Ayodhya administration inform of how initially the Yogi Adityanath government was against allowing Uddhav his show off strength. Later in a U-turn, not only permission was granted, but a modicum of State support was also provided, from letting him have his venue close to the disputed site (VHP has not been given that privilege for its Dharma Sabha Sunday), to a bulletproof ambassador car for the Thackeray family during the visit. 

Just as the first phase of Ayodhya movement cemented ties between the saffron brothers in the 1980s, would this phase help them crease out the differences that have cropped up post-2014? While it would depend on what trajectory the Ram Temple case takes in the Supreme Court, Uddhav Thackeray's Ayodhya visit just throws the hint of a possible Sena BJP detente. 

Advertisement

Published November 25th, 2018 at 09:47 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo