Finally, Shiv Sena has formed government in Maharashtra with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress alliance. The political analysts have called this an unnatural alliance due to the obvious ideological difference between Shiv Sena and Congress party.
While Sena favours the Hindutva ideology, Congress vouches for the secular ideals of the Indian constitution. However, nothing remains ideological when it comes to power. The current political situation in Maharashtra defines the same.
Shiv Sena ended its thirty-year-old alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have been supporting each other over the Hindutva ideology, after their tussle over Chief Minister post. Not only the Sena withdraw from the alliance but also accused the BJP of not keeping its word.
In a surprise twist, NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister on November 23 and Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra early morning. The President's rule was revoked at 5:47 AM.
This happened the next day after the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena decided to stake claim to form the government in Maharashtra. However, the Devendra Fadnavis government could not last long.
On November 26, Devendra Fadnavis resigned from his post to become the shortest-serving CM in the political history of Maharashtra. This happened after Ajit Pawar submitted his resignation hours after Supreme Court announced its decision to conduct a floor test.
The political shockers in Maharashtra came to an end after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the CM at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
Talking about the Congress and Shiv Sena relation, it is important to note that this is not the first time Congress is allying with or helping Shiv Sena.
Earlier, during the Presidential election in 2012, Shiv Sena supported Congress candidate Pranab Mukharjee despite BJP had fielded PA Sangma as a candidate for National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Pranab Mukharjee had visited Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray to thank him for the support during the Presidential elections.
Even in 2007, Shiv Sena supported Congress candidate Pratibha Patil for the President’s post. In this election, senior BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was fielded as BJP-led NDA candidate.
In 1975, Bal Thackeray supported the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Moreover, Shiv Sena also supported Congress in the Lok Sabha election held in 1977, 1980. Shiv Sena didn’t field candidates against Congress in these elections.
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