BJP’s stern message to Shinde Sena amid ad row: ‘Do not cross laxman rekha’

The full-page ad appeared across all newspapers in the state on Tuesday. The ad with the slogan “Modi For India, Shinde For Maharashtra. The dream team is loved by all” quoted a survey stating that Shinde is the most preferred CM, with 26 per cent of people backing him, followed by Fadnavis, who was supported by 23.2 per cent.

Pulled up by the central BJP leadership, in a damage-control exercise, Shinde has issued another ad in newspapers, this time with pictures of Fadnavis and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In the new ad, the comparison between Shinde and Fadnavis has been removed. Instead, it shows that the BJP and Shiv Sena, together, are preferred by 46.4 per cent of people. The Opposition gets 34.6 per cent and others 19 per cent in popularity ratings. The damage control, within 24 hours, came following a sharp rebuke from the central BJP leadership, especially Shah and party president J P Nadda, sources said.

“The ad issued on Tuesday where the Shiv Sena drew comparisons between Shinde and Fadnavis was not in good taste. It definitely hurt the sentiments of BJP leaders and workers. It’s evident it was a mischief by someone. But today’s ad shows they realised the mistake and corrected it. As far as the BJP is concerned, it’s a closed chapter,” state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Wednesday.

Although the party’s state leadership directed its cadre to put the episode behind, the rumblings continued. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde said, “A frog cannot become an elephant, however much it tries. Even if it fills itself with tons of air, it will remain a tiny frog. It cannot become huge and powerful like an elephant.”

The sarcasm was targeted at Shinde, who in the earlier ad tried to project himself as more popular than Fadnavis.

“When the BJP formed the alliance with the Shinde faction in June last year, it took the decision to reward him with the most coveted post of CM. The decision had upset BJP leaders and the cadre in Maharashtra who were keen to see Fadnavis as CM,” a BJP source said.

“But the central BJP leadership took the decision to convey a loud message to its alliance partners. And to estranged alliance partner Uddhav Thackeray,” the source added.

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the BJP reckons it cannot ride the political challenge alone and will have to depend on the Shinde Sena. However, Shinde’s performance in the last 11 months has not been up to BJP’s expectations, according to poll strategists.

A senior BJP Cabinet minister said, “When we formed the alliance with the Shinde faction, we knew his political limitations. But we entrusted him with the major task of weaning away ‘Sainiks’ at the grassroots who were loyal to Uddhav. Though Shinde managed to get 40 out of 56 MLAs and 13 out of 19 MPs into his fold, the support base of Uddhav is still intact.”

On the other hand, by placing Fadnavis in second position, the BJP also made it clear that they did not want to compromise on good governance in Maharashtra.

Another aspect that came to the fore was that the BJP realises it will have to lead the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls on ‘Moditva’. Accordingly, it has started massive preparations. At its internal meetings, BJP leaders have exhorted party workers to ensure the party wins 150 seats on its own. And along with the Shinde faction, 200-plus seats. The State Legislative Assembly has 288 seats. The half-way mark to form the government is 145 seats. The BJP’s emphasis to cross the magic figure on its own steam has kept the Shinde faction on tenterhooks. It fears if the BJP wins the majority on its own, its relevance would decline.

Not surprisingly, senior Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar, at a meeting convened by Shinde two days ago, said, “We have to show our 40 MLAs’ collective strength. We have to make it clear to the BJP that they are in government because of us. Had we not revolted, the MVA would have still been ruling. And the BJP would have been in the Opposition.”

Growing assertion from the Shinde faction has become frequent. Earlier, Kirtikar had said, “The Shiv Sena will not settle for anything less than 22 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.” There are 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

As differences are likely to surface frequently till the seat-sharing formula is finalised, BJP’s central leadership will have to intervene to iron out things.