Is the ground being prepared for the BJP and the Uddhav Sena to reconcile? Not immediately, especially given the bitter recriminations of the past five years. However, in politics, yesterday’s foes often become tomorrow’s allies.
Speculation about a thaw in relations was triggered by Uddhav Thackeray, the UBT Sena chief, meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur on Tuesday. Accompanied by his son Aaditya and senior party colleagues, Uddhav’s official reason for the meeting was to press for the Bharat Ratna to be awarded to Savarkar.
Cynics argue that Uddhav, as Chief Minister, could have recommended this himself or raised the demand at a press conference. That he chose to meet Fadnavis personally suggests a hidden agenda. Notably, the Sena (UBT) and its spokesperson Sanjay Raut have consistently ridiculed the BJP’s electoral victories, attributing them to rigged EVMs.
The optics of the meeting take on added significance given Rahul Gandhi’s recent criticism of Savarkar in the Lok Sabha. How long can the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) survive such opposing views on Savarkar? With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections approaching, new political equations in Maharashtra seem inevitable.
Uddhav, misled by ambitious courtiers like Raut, may now see the merit in reconciling with his natural allies. A rapprochement with the BJP would provide ideological coherence, unlike his current, self-contradictory alliance. While these are early days, the signs of political realignment in Maharashtra are unmistakable. The state’s polity, like its leaders, is always in flux.
