‘Political virus’ trying to topple Opposition-led govts: Sena

PTI, Mar 17, 2020, 5:27 PM IST

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has likened Monday’s political developments in Madhya Pradesh with “spread of virus” and accused the BJP, without taking its name, of trying to destabilise the governments headed by Opposition parties.

Taking a swipe, the Sena said the “political virus” trying to destabilise governments headed by Opposition parties by engineering defections is currently wreaking havoc in the country, but has proved ineffective in Maharashtra.

“Coronavirus is causing havoc in the country. The political drama that unfolded in Madhya Pradesh on Monday was also no less than a virus,” the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece “Saamana” on Tuesday.

Madhya Pradesh has been in a political turmoil since last eight days after senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP and 22 MLAs of the ruling Congress submitting their resignations.

Amid a political tussle between the Congress and the BJP, Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly defied directives of state Governor Lalji Tandon to hold a floor test on Monday, prompting the BJP to approach the supreme court.

“The political virus trying to destabilise governments of Opposition parties by engineering defections is also causing havoc in the country. This virus was seen working in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Karnataka and other states. However, it proved ineffective in Maharashtra and rather the experiment boomeranged,” it said.

The Shiv Sena heads the coalition government in Maharashtra in which the Congress and the NCP are also constituents. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is chief minister of the state.

The editorial referred to then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP trying to form a government for a second time with the support of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in November last year. That government had lasted for only 80 hours.

After the state Assembly elections held in October last year, the Sena severed its ties with the BJP accusing it of reneging on its promise to share the post of the chief minister with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

“After realising that it cannot form a government with the Shiv Sena, an attempt was made to split the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under the leadership of Ajit Pawar. The ruling party in the Centre is replicating the same political experiment in Madhya Pradesh,” the Sena said.

Referring to the resignations by five Congress MLAs in BJP-ruled Gujarat and that of 22 legislators in MP, the Sena said this political gameplan was being executed to upset the political arithmetic in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in which legislative assemblies form the electoral college.

“Was it the time to unleash political terror when the entire country is in the grip of the terror caused by coronavirus?” questioned the Sena while referring to the political developments in Madhya Pradesh.

“At a time when the life has come to a standstill for the common man, the political show of strength could have been avoided,” it said.

Noting that the developments in Madhya Pradesh are a fight between the Centre and the state and between a governor and a legislative assembly, the Sena said whether Kamal Nath government survives or those behind engineering defections get exposed remains to be seen.

“The verdict on (survival of) Kamal Nath government was put off for now after the Madhya Pradesh Speaker adjourned the Assembly on Monday till March 26. However, the second part of this drama might play out in the (supreme) court on Tuesday, which will decide the ultimate climax,” it said.