Just a day after former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party to join BJP, the Shiv Sena on Thursday (March 12) asserted that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led coalition government in Maharashtra is not facing any threat of collapse. Notably, CM Thackeray is running a coalition government in Maharashtra in alliance wth Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.
An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' also slammed the Congress for failing to address the concerns of its youth leaders. The editorial also said the BJP in Maharashtra should stop "day-dreaming" about toppling government in Maharashtra. It added that the BJP should not forget the defeat it faced in Maharashtra four months ago and should expect for a "shock experiment" in Madhya Pradesh too.
Scindia resigned from the Congress on Tuesday (March 10) along with 22 Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, putting CM Kamal Nath-led government in the state on the brink of collapse.
Referring to the ongoing political turmoil in Madhya Pradesh, the Shiv Sena said that even though veteran Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh are running the show in Madhya Pradesh Congress, the grand old party had committed a mistake by neglecting a senior leader like Scindia.
"Kamal Nath is also a shrewd and daring politician and will not give up easily. Just like the unexpected political drama in Maharashtra, a shock experiment can take place in Madhya Pradesh," the Marathi daily said.
Shiv Sena also mentioned that the Congress failed to perform well in Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of Kamal Nath and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.
"When seniors fail, the young leadership should be encouraged. This is not happening and that is why (Rajasthan deputy chief minister) Sachin Pilot and Gehlot are at loggerheads. If the matter is not resolved, it is believed that Rajasthan may go the Madhya Pradesh way," it claimed.
Shiv Sena also took a dig at Scindia, saying that eight months ago the former Guna MP lashed out the BJP calling it a "murderer of democracy" for toppling the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka and now he has joined the same party.
"Fifteen days ago, he criticised BJP leaders for making hate speeches and now after joining the BJP, he says Congress is not the party it used to be earlier," it said. "What were Scindia's demands - the state (Madhya Pradesh) unit president's post or the Rajya sabha ticket? Both were denied to him. If at least one demand was accepted, this situation wouldn't have arisen," the Shiv Sena said.
