Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is hitting back at BJP for its overtures to Raj Thackeray
The Shiv Sena today made a bold declaration intended to offend its ally, the BJP - it said it plans to contest 20 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh. As a concession, its leaders said Varanasi and Lucknow would not be among them. Those are the constituencies assigned by the BJP to its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi and party president Rajnath Singh.
Ajay Chaubey of the Sena apparently didn't get the memo. "I will contest against Narendra Modi from Varanasi," said Mr Chaubey, a local leader of the Sena.
The Shiv Sena is the BJP's oldest political partner. Its chief, Uddhav Thackeray, made it clear earlier this month that the alliance was tested by the interest shown by the BJP in his estranged cousin, Raj Thackeray, who heads another regional party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena or MNS.
The BJP asked Raj Thackeray if his party would sit out the national election so that he would not split the vote that would accrue to the Sena-BJP combo in Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray met the BJP halfway - he will put up seven candidates, but only one will take on the BJP; the six others will fight the Shiv Sena.
After angry admonitions to the BJP, Uddhav Thackeray has publicly indicated that the relationship is dented but not fragile. Today's posit by his leaders indicates payback. They said that the alliance with the BJP is limited to Maharashtra.
"We are fully entitled to fight in other states. We will see that BJP suffers minimum collateral damage," said party spokesperson Sanjay Raut. He added that Uddhav Thackeray has indicated that the Sena will not put up candidates against Mr Modi in Varanasi, or the BJP president Rajnath Singh, who is running from Lucknow.
Given that the Sena has little clout outside Maharashtra, its remarks are more bluster than a challenge.