PM's visit to Baramati is a signal for Shiv Sena

PUNE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Baramati on February 14 has assumed much political significance after the Delhi assembly election result and because of the Sena's barbs at the BJP. Political pundits predict that Modi and Pawar rubbing shoulders will send out a strong signal to Shiv Sena that the BJP could show it the door and ally with Pawar, if Sena leaders continued their attack on Modi.

Modi will be visiting the Pawar bastion to inaugurate the Krishi Vigyan Kendra building, a project that the NCP chief had approved when he was the Union agriculture minister in the UPA government. Pawar will be present at the event.

Top BJP leaders on Wednesday communicated to the party top brass their displeasure with the continued attacks of the Shiv Sena on the PM, the latest being the editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna' that stated how Delhi results proved that elections cannot be won with speeches and promises. Sources said state BJP leaders have sent out feelers that the party should not tolerate these attacks and snap ties with Sena if it continued.

Shiv Sena has been unhappy with the poor treatment of its ministers and the portfolios given to them. Some BJP leaders have even dared the Sena to give up their ministerial berths. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday reacted to Sena's disenchantment with the portfolios given to them, saying it was true in cases where MLAs from the BJP in the state were reporting to ministers from the Shiv Sena at the Centre.

There is a clear thaw in the BJP-NCP ties since the Lok Sabha elections last year when Modi had exhorted Baramati to end the "chacha-bhatija" rule.

In response to a question on the Modi-Pawar chemistry, state BJP president Raosaheb Danve recently said that the party had "good relations" with Pawar. "The invitation (given by Pawar) is an honour to us (the BJP). Elections are over and there are no differences between us. The BJP has good relations with Pawar," he said.

A senior NCP leader agreed with Danve's statement. "Immediately after the assembly election results were declared, Pawar had announced unconditional support to the BJP for the formation of the government. It was with NCP's backing that BJP won majority on the floor of the House as Sena had decided to sit in opposition. There is a strong understanding between BJP's top leadership and Pawar," said a senior NCP leader.

Such statements notwithstanding, NCP leaders are busy warding off any political controversy. NCP state unit president Sunil Tatkare said that NCP was committed to "secular" ideology and Modi's visit to Baramati on February 14 should not be inferred as the party moving closer to the BJP. Senior NCP leader Praful Patel had recently said: "If Pawar were to join the BJP government, he could have done it in 1999, when then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had invited him."

Sena leadership is gauging the political significance of Modi's Baramati visit. Shiv Sena MLC and spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told TOI, "It is really difficult to guess (the purpose of Modi's visit to Baramati). We don't know what the real reason is - if it is just a cordial visit or more than that. To comment on this development at this juncture would be too early."

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