It took over 42 days for the Shiv Sena party to come to terms with the changed heart to join BJP led Maharashtra government in the state after its initial talks with the BJP failed post Assembly elections.
No stone were left unturned by the BJP to make sure that its ally came back to it. The Shiv Sena has been reportedly driven into a corner by the BJP with the intention that it would be forced to unite with the government.
The Sena count improved from 44 in 2009 to 63 in 2014 and the party also brought in a fresh crop of legislators to the Maharashtra Assembly.
“These MLAs do not know how to get the work done in various government departments,” said a BJP leader.
“When Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and nine ministers took oath on October 31, it came as a huge setback for the Sena MLAs, particularly the first-timers,” said the BJP leader.
The BJP used the government machinery to make sure that the development plans initiated by Sena MLAs got intertwined in bureaucracy. The officials would give all the due respect to the MLAs. But, their files would always get tardy before reaching its logical conclusion.
“A few experienced Sena MLAs found that the BJP government was not taking any decision on the files initiated by new party MLAs,” said a Sena leader.
The BJP made the right move at the right time and invited the Sena to merge with the government. Without losing any moment, the Sena show their consent to the suggestion and got 12 berths in the Cabinet.
On December 5, ten Sena leaders took oath as ministers and two more would be inducted in the next Cabinet expansion.
“Had we invited the Sena right away after the poll results were announced, it would not have realised the problem of being out power. Now Sena leaders will think twice before abruptly doing something against us,” as said by the BJP leader.