Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shivesena-BJP spar over ‘deals’ with govt

The differences between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the BJP-Shiv Sena combine came to the fore on Friday.

Both the sides alleged that the other had “struck deals” with the ruling parties. The infighting in the opposition parties, in fact, was witnessed since the first day of the winter session. 

Soon after the resumption of the business on the third day of the session, the Sena-BJP combine raised the issue of the “arbitrary action” of the house of suspending five Sena MLAs.  

Citing a previous incident of suspension of four MNS MLAs a year ago, leader of opposition in state assembly Eknath Khadse said that the suspension was taken back after Raj Thackeray’s party resorted to a compromising formula with the ruling Congress.

They helped the Congress in the council elections which resulted in the revocation of the suspension of the MLAs in the monsoon session in June, he alleged.  

Raising strong objection to the comment, MNS group leader Bala Nandgaonkar alleged that the BJP had “adjustments” with the then deputy speaker Pramod Shende.   

The war of words between the two sections from the opposition benches took the entire house by surprise. The political observers believe that the infighting in the opposition was the result of the cold war between the parties.

MNS had defied the decision of the other opposition parties of boycotting the customary tea party hosted by the chief minister on the eve of the session.