Shiv Sena-BJP rift widens in Punjab

ROOPNAGAR, Oct 4: Alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra notwithstanding, the Punjab wing of Shiv Sena is training its g...

ROOPNAGAR, Oct 4: Alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra notwithstanding, the Punjab wing of Shiv Sena is training its guns against the party in the state. The rift largely stems from the failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party , as a coalition partner in the State government, to get octroi abolished.

The Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray faction would shortly hold district level dharnas across the state to vent out its anger against the Akali Dal 8211; Bharatiya Janata Party government for failing to fulfill its election promise of octroi abolition. Despite the government having made it clear that octroi would not be abolished, the issue remains sensitive with the traders, who are the traditional vote bank of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Shiv Sena is now trying to cash on the sentiments of the traders. The group, which has alleged to have been representing Hindu extremism right from the days of Khalistani movement, harbours a sense of alienation from the Bharatiya Janata Party . Sources in the Shiv Sena revealed that resentment is brewing in the party against the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit.

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of 8220;soft peddling8221; on the issues concerning the Hindu community, Shiv Sena organising secretary of the district Sudhir Kakkar said, 8220;Having utilised our services during the polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has distanced itself from the Shiv Sainiks after coming to power.8221;

Kakkar, who is a lone accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case from Punjab, said that all the factions of the Sena 8212; Pawan Sharma led Hindu Shiv Sena, Jagdish Tangri8217;s All India Rashtriyawadi Shiv Sena and the Bal Thackeray faction led by Pawan Gupta 8212; have jointly raised a banner of revolt against the state government.

It is learnt that the Sena is equally angry over denial of ministerial berth to Laxmi Kanta Chawla, a BJP MLA from Amritsar, reportedly at the behest of SGPC Chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The Sena, which had proclaimed itself as a Hindu answer to the Sikh militancy in the past, is also irked over 8220;victimisation8221; of the Punjab police officers by the human rights organisations.

Though the Sena claims that they had withdrawn their nominees from various seats during the previous assembly elections to pave way for the BJP victory, Food and Civil Supplies Minister and a senior party leader Madan Mohan Mittal said, 8220;The BJP had never sought support from the Shiv Sena during the Punjab elections,8221; adding that the it had no mass base anywhere in the state, he accused the Congress of backing it during the militancy days. 8220;This had helped them in fanning communal passions,8221; he said.