estranged allies

Nizam’s rule

Uddhav Thackeray

MUMBAI: The squabble between, Shiv Sena and BJP, seems set to intensify with a BJP spokesperson writing a strongly-worded article in a party-affiliated publication under the headline, “ Raut sahib, talaq kevha ghet aye?" (Raut sahib, when are you planning to divorce?)The reference was to Sena MP Sanjay Raut, executive editor of Saamna which has been running a series of editorials criticizing BJP-led governments at the Centre and state. The piece by state BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari in the fortnightly publication, ‘Manogat’, describes Sena as ungrateful despite the sacrifices made by BJP in relinquishing claims over assembly and Lok Sabha seats to keep the alliance intact.In a reference to Raut’s remarks at Aurangabad where he likened the BJP regime at the Centre to the, Bhandari’s piece says while the Sena has no qualms in “eating biryani in the plate provided by the Nizam”, it appears to have no compunctions in criticising its ally. Bhandari compared Sena chiefwith the character of the jailer in the legendary movie Sholay, “who orders his subordinates to go marching in different directions, only to realise that there’s no one left to follow him.” Probably Raut and his party chief are scared that if they walk out of the government, they will have no one to follow them, he said.BJP also pointed out that its performance was better than the Sena’s in the past few elections. The BJP’s attack through a party publication mimics the Sena’s modus operandi and is a broad hint to its ally that it will not pull its punches in the run-up to local body polls across the state.When asked for a reaction, a senior Sena leader on condition of anonymity said, “Who is Bhandari? And the publication is neither the BJP’s mouthpiece nor Modi or Shah its editor.” The BJP’s official mouthpiece is the daily, Tarun Bharat.Sena's mouthpiece Saamna, on Thursday, in a sarcastic editorial titled ‘Narendrasan’, it asked PM Narendra Modi if practising yoga will help people ease the pain of inflation and corruption.