BJP REACHES OUT TO NDA PARTNERS FOR CONSENSUS

Mumbai: The top leadership of the BJP has reached out to its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance in a bid to keep them in the loop about the ongoing political moves being made in Maharashtra to dislodge the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government.

The move is aimed at pre-empting any discontent among alliance partners who may feel they are not being consulted on important developments involving the NDA across the country, a person privy to the development said.

Meanwhile, a hushhush meeting between former Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP, and leader of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, Eknath Shinde, was believed to have been held in Vadodara in Gujarat on Friday night. A senior BJP leader has refuted rumours that his party plans to install Shinde as the chief minister of Maharashtra, along the lines of the Bihar government.

He told First India: “As of now, there is no demand from Shinde of wanting to become the CM. Right from the beginning, he has stated that he wants to work under the leadership of Devendraji, even when he was offered the post of deputy chief minister.” However, this person did not deny the alleged night-time meeting between Fadnvais and Shinde. “While it would be very difficult to keep such a visit under wraps, Fadnavis and Shinde may have met in Vadodara,” he said, adding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also rumoured to have met the duo. The BJP leader also said that the endgame had begun in Maharashtra, which could soon see the imposition of President’s Rule.

A Sena leader, meanwhile, said that the party was capable of matching the BJP move for move on the political chess board, and had made six resolutions at the party level, including authorizing CM Uddhav Thackeray, their party chief, to have the last word on the future course in Maharashtra. “The disqualifications of not only the 16 rebel MLAs but also Ministership of Gulabrao Patil, Shambhuraje Desai and four others who abandoned ship and joined the Eknath Shinde camp is the first move that will be played out in another 24 hours.”