Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li><keyword id="6360495" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="shinde" source="Orion">Shinde</keyword> was one of the thousands of <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> cadres who was always ready to hit the streets at the command of party founder, Bal Thackeray.</li><li>He had often publicly expressed his unhappiness at the party’s change in ideology and work culture.</li><li>He considers himself ‘the original Shiv Sena’ and as a Maratha MLA, he was an obvious choice for BJP that has managed to get back to power in Maharashtra.</li></ul>After a lot of twists and turns, <keyword id="193503" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="eknath-shinde" source="Orion">Eknath Shinde</keyword> was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Thursday, July 29, along with BJP leader <keyword id="6355042" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="devendra-fadnavis" source="Orion">Devendra Fadnavis</keyword>, who took oath as the deputy CM. The 58-year old Shinde is a four-time member of legislative assembly (MLA) and has held the urban development and PWD portfolios in the previous <keyword id="8357634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Vikas-Aghadi" source="Orion">Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) government. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="An auto-rickshaw driver in Thane" comment="subhead" text="An auto-rickshaw driver in Thane">An auto-rickshaw driver in Thane</cmsannotation> A lesser known fact about him is that he was a college dropout and an auto-rickshaw driver in Thane before he stepped into the world of politics. Shinde was one of the thousands of Shiv Sena cadres who was always ready to hit the streets at the command of party founder, Bal Thackeray. He has been a Bal Thackeray loyalist and claims to continue to be one even after dethroning his son, <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>. Shinde has often publicly expressed his unhappiness at the party’s change in ideology and work culture. He believes that Shiv Sena has strayed too far from its main Hindutva credo and party supremo Bal Thackeray’s ideology. He was extremely unhappy about the treatment meted out to old party loyalists like himself. However, all this worked in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party who were unable to form a government in Maharashtra earlier. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mollifying the Sainiks" comment="subhead" text="Mollifying the Sainiks">Mollifying the Sainiks</cmsannotation> It was widely expected that Fadnavis would be the new CM with Shinde as his deputy. However, BJP decided to spring a surprise by appointing Shinde to the top post. BJP would not have wanted to take any chances after the former CM of the Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray just before his resignation, had emotively questioned, “If I quit, can you guarantee that the Chief Minister will be a <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/how-bjp-gains-from-making-eknath-shinde-the-chief-minister-3116044">Shiv Sainik</a>?." Shinde considers himself ‘the original Shiv Sena’ and as a Maratha MLA, he was an obvious choice for BJP that has managed to get back to power in Maharashtra. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Shinde vs Aditya Thackeray" comment="subhead" text="Shinde vs Aditya Thackeray">Shinde vs Aditya Thackeray</cmsannotation> Former CM Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya Thackeray, who was the state tourism minister, took a dig at Shinde when he rebelled against the Thackerays with the support of 40 plus MLAs. According to media <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-made-paan-sellers-rickshaw-pullers-ministers-in-maharashtra-aaditya-thackeray-on-eknath-shinde-shiv-sena-2964025">reports</a>, Aditya stated that he regretted making ‘watchmen, rickshaw drivers and paan sellers’ as ministers in the Maharashtra government. This comment by the junior Thackeray sparked a wide controversy and Shinde received widespread public support. “Many people told us that Congress and NCP will betray us but our people betrayed us. Many MLAs who were watchmen, rickshaw drivers, and paan shopkeepers - we made them ministers. On 20th May, Uddhav Thackeray offered him (Eknath Shinde) the CM post and he did drama,” Aditya Thackeray told news agency ANI. Thus after a lot of drama and several twists and turns, this auto rickshaw driver managed to drive all the way to the CM’s seat, even with many bumps along the way – something he is used to. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/uddhav-thackeray-the-accidental-chief-minister/articleshow/92559485.cms">Uddhav Thackeray: The accidental chief minister</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambani-anil-agarwal-lose-1-17-lakh-crore-in-a-few-hours-as-government-slaps-two-different-oil-taxes/articleshow/92591441.cms">Mukesh Ambani &amp; Anil Agarwal lose ₹1.17 lakh crore in a few hours as government slaps two different oil taxes</a>

College dropout, auto driver, ‘original Sainik’  — Ekanth Shinde’s rocky ride to CM’s seat

The old adage ‘health is wealth’ still holds golden in this tech-savvy world and right from Bollywood celebrities to corporate honchos to politicos, they all seem to have cracked it. 
 
The internet went berserk after images of a lean Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, surfaced and everyone wanted to know the secret potion. 
 
Days after, we saw a slimmer looking Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, and now these two men have given us some real fitness goals. 
 
But let’s face it, we all give ourselves excuses of being stuck in the vicious circle of home-work-work after office. If Fadnavis, who works 18 hours every day throughout the week, can do it, we can also nail it. 
 Of course, one of the main reason why Fadnavis managed to pull off this feat was that he was being personally guided and coached by holistic, global health guru <keyword id="144538" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mickey-Mehta">Mickey Mehta</keyword>, to reduce 18 kilos in just 3 months. 
 
“I life coach people who are willing to add meaning to their lives, are true to their purpose and objective and yes, Mr Fadnavis fit the bill. The journey was extremely good. So, my primary objective is well-being, wellness, healing, holistic health and not weight loss,” said Mehta. 
 
A doughty looking Fadnavis did not look obese in his recent public engagements and it was refreshing to see him in a new avatar. 
 
When asked how Mehta, who has trained many Bollywood celebs like Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, managed with Fadnavis’ schedule, he said two hours every day were enough. 
 
“It was difficult and I literally had to message him, everyday reminding and motivating him and it truly makes a difference. He sacrificed his sleep and gave time. In two hours a week also, there is lots of dynamic breathing, yogic breathing, there is lots of stretching, contracting , there is lots of walking also and I addressed his muscular skeletal system bit by bit,” revealed Mehta. 
 
Mehta, who has a PhD for Philosophy in well-being, said Fadnavis is also spiritually very inclined and they did a lot of chanting. 
 
“We do a lot of chanting, we make him lie down on grass, take lot of sunshine on his face, chant lot of mantras and that’s perfectly enough to transform anybody physically, physiologically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. End of the day, activation of brain, endocrine system, the nervous system influences the state of body,” he said. 
 
So, what does it take for an obese person to lose weight? Determination and right combination of eating and exercises. 
 
Here are his best kept secrets for obese people to lose weight: 
 
1) Lie down and don’t do things standing up at all or very little, because a lot of body weight falls on the knees. 
2) Make sure you take baby steps while walking and going from one exercise to the other. 
3) Do lot of yogic, dynamic breathing, administer a lot of stretching and open up. 
4) Progressive resistance training really needs to be scaled up but once again in small baby steps. 
5) Be very careful that you don’t hurt the back, the joints, ligaments. Hurting these could end in spasms and injuries.

Health guru Mickey Mehta reveals how he made busy Maharashtra CM knock off 18 kilos in 3 months

Bollywood celebrities, industrialists, politicians, entrepreneurs, etc have given us new <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=fitness&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">fitness</a> goals. Slim avatars of who’s who are going viral every day and celebrities such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Stunning-Parineeti-shows-what-a-make-over-should-really-look-like/articleshow/50124643.cms">Parineeti Chopra</a>, Alia Bhatt, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=devendra+fadnavis&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=anant+ambani&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Anant Ambani</a>, Manish Paul, etc have become our role models. 
 
Such <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=weight+loss&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">weight loss</a> stories are motivating enough to shake us out from our sedentary lifestyles and move us towards our fitness goals. 
 
And, as the old adage goes ‘nothing is impossible’, all you need is dedication and motivation. 
 
“Staying positive is very important. If you are determined enough, you will find a way and do it. You need to follow perfect practices to lose weight,” said <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/John-Abrahams-personal-trainer-tells-you-7-easy-steps-to-get-a-body-like-the-star/articleshow/49338802.cms">celebrity fitness trainer Vinod Channa</a>, who is presently training actor John Abraham for his next movie. 
 
If you are focussed on weight loss, start with these 7 steps 
 
1. Don’t waste time. If you want to lose weight, NOW is the time. Take guidance from the right fitness expert and a certified one, who has 5-10 years of experience. 
 
2. Keep a target in mind which is realistic and attainable. Be positive and keeping small targets and achieving them will boost your morale. 
 
3. Add protein in your diet but also keep your meal balanced. Eat carbohydrates and fats according to your body requirement and fat percentage. 
 
4. Avoid junk, oily food, maida and sweets. 
 
5. Make sure you eat right the type of food and on right time without fail. Have a diet plan which is not boring and you don’t have to go for a cheat day. 
 
6. Workout on regular basis such as resistance training, functional training, walking and cycling. 
 
7. Don’t take your workout and diet plan as a punishment. Be consistent and you will see the results. 
 
(Image: Thinkstock)

Start your weight loss regimen with these 7 easy tips

<ul><li>Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party might have won with a thumping majority in the general elections, but it does mean that its popularity is at an all-time high. </li><li>At the state level, the Saffron party lost six state elections before and after its <keyword id="6355187" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> victory. BJP’s fall began last year as it lost assembly elections in <keyword id="6355588" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajasthan">Rajasthan</keyword>, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. </li><li>The latest shocker was Jharkhand which was traditionally considered its bastion. </li></ul> Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party might have won with a thumping majority in the general elections, but it does mean that its popularity is at an all-time high. At the state level, the Saffron party lost six state elections before and after its Lok Sabha victory. BJP’s fall began last year as it lost assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The latest shocker was Jharkhand which was traditionally considered its bastion. BJP might be at the helm of India — but 2019 saw the rise of regional parties Jharkhand 
	
	<div type="image" title="Jamshedpur: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chi..." msid="72957573" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren at an election campaign rally in support of the party candidate Sanjeev Sardar from Potka, ahead of the 2nd phase of Assembly elections, in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 BJP witnessed a humiliating defeat at the Jharkhand assembly election this month. An alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Indian National Congress and the <keyword id="123786" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rashtriya-Janata-Dal">Rashtriya Janata Dal</keyword> (RJD) won 47 of the 81 seats. BJP had managed to win only 25. It did not help that the polling took place as the state was protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). LINK STORY Maharashtra 
	
	<div type="image" title="Devendra Fadnavis" msid="72957581" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Chief Minister of Maharashtra state Devendra Fadnavis, center, arrives at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) office for a party meeting in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister on Saturday morning.Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In the state elections held in October, BJP emerged as the single largest party. Yet, an internal feud with their poll partner -Shiv Sena, led the latter to break away from them. In spite of a fast-track swearing in of BJP state head Devendra Fadnavis as CM, its unholy alliance with a breakaway faction of <keyword id="54794" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nationalist-Congress-Party">Nationalist Congress Party</keyword> (NCP) went awry. Eventually, BJP had to backtrack after a court ordered a floor test, and make way for Sena-Congress-NCP alliance. Haryana 
	
	<div type="image" title="Chandigarh: Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and former chief min..." msid="72957588" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda interact at Vidhan Sabha, in Chandigarh.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 BJP still has its grip on Haryana, but it’s not too tight. The Saffron party was able to form a coalition government only because of the support of <keyword id="1995027" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dushyant-Chautala">Dushyant Chautala</keyword> led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). While BJP won 40 seats, Congress won 31. JJP won 10 seats, and its support was crucial for the government formation. <keyword id="43945" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhattisgarh">Chhattisgarh</keyword> <div type="image" title="Amit Shah,, Narendra Modi" msid="72957634" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, left, wipes his face as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, watches during a function to pay tributes to the victims of the 2001 attack on India&amp;#39;s Parliament in New Delhi, India, Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. The 2001 attack on India&amp;#39;s Parliament had left 14 people dead.Photo/Manish Swarup)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Chhattisgarh was yet another bastion that BJP lost in, but that was last year. The party had ruled the state for 15 years but in the last assembly elections, it has to wind up as it won only in15 seats. Congress won in 68 and decimated the party which was ruling at the center. Though a national party like Congress had taken over, regional parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh also ate into the vote share. Rajasthan <div type="image" title="New Delhi: BJP leaders Vasundhara Raje and Saroj Pandey arrive for a meeting of ..." msid="72957653" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;BJP leaders Vasundhara Raje and Saroj Pandey arrive for a meeting of party&amp;#39;s national office bearers and state presidents presided by party President Amit Shah, in New Delhi.Photo/Atul Yadav)(&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Rajasthan never did have a sweet spot for regional parties. Since 1998, both BJP and Congress ruled the state alternatively. In 2018, BJP won 70 seats in the states — 33 less than Congress. One of the biggest reasons for BJP’s failure was agrarian distress and loss of vote bank from the Meena community. About half the voters were dissatisfied from the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government. Congress won the highest seats — and formed an alliance with RLD, the LJD and the NCP -- to form the government. Madhya Pradesh <div type="image" title="B6A9366E-54D4-4F56-A76B-31A292B00BE5" msid="72957675" hostid="261"></div>

 In 2018, Madhya Pradesh became another state where BJP lost but it resulted in a hung assembly as both INC won 114 seats while BJP won 106 seats. However, INC took the support of seven MLAs from BSP, and the <keyword id="6354265" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="samajwadi-party">Samajwadi Party</keyword> to form a government. Some of the other prominent political territories where BJP has no influence include Delhi, Telangana and Andhra where regional parties continue to rule the roost.

With Jharkhand loss, BJP loses command over most of the Hindi belt — as regional parties rise

NEW DELHI: Reconciled to a near-inevitable break-up with <keyword id="6358821" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword>, BJP on Sunday rolled out a plan to contest all 288 seats in Maharashtra along with its smaller allies. 
 The decision was taken by the party’s central election committee (CEC) after <keyword id="114039" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BJP-chief">BJP chief</keyword> <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Amit-Shah">Amit Shah</keyword> briefed Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> about the <keyword id="6394856" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sena">Sena</keyword>’s adamant posture on seat-sharing. The CEC also finalized candidates for all the seats. 
 <keyword id="6356617" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="bjp-leader">BJP leader</keyword> Rajiv Pratap Rudy said after the meeting, "Maharashtra seats were discussed at the CEC meeting. Most of the candidates have been decided upon, and party president Amit Shah will announce these names. The political situation in Maharashtra was also discussed, and it was decided that efforts to continue with the alliance will be on, and we would want it to continue in the same spirit that the partnership has been going on for so long in a mutually respectful manner." 
 
With the process of filing nominations for the October 15 assembly polls not expected to gather momentum before September 25 because of the ongoing ‘inauspicious period of pitru paksha,’ both parties are considering waiting for another 72 hours before taking a final decision on the crucial alliance. 
 
"There is time till ‘shradh’ (which ends on September 24) for the tug-of-war to go on," a senior BJP leader said. 
 
 
Senior BJP leaders from Maharashtra, who were in New Delhi on Sunday to attend the party’s Parliamentary board meeting, sought the central leadership’s go-ahead to snap poll ties. BJP also rejected Sena’s latest formula which Uddhav Thackeray spelt out at a party jamboree held in a Bandra auditorium on Sunday. Thackeray said Sena would contest 151 seats and leave 119 for BJP and 18 for junior allies. 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/As-Sena-and-BJP-negotiate-smaller-allies-talk-of-parting-ways/articleshow/43102232.cms">As Sena and BJP negotiate, smaller allies talk of parting ways</a> 
 
"This is all that I have to offer to BJP. If they reject this, then I am left with no other alternative," Thackeray told Shiv Sainiks. This is Uddhav’s lump-it-or-leave-it ultimatum to BJP, said observers. Like the Maharashtra BJP, Sena has asked all its party units across the state to be prepared to contest polls on their own strength, sources said. 
 
In his 45-minute speech, Thackeray gave ample indications that he was willing to plan Sena’s future minus BJP. "I will undoubtedly feel sorry if the alliance breaks... But if you are going to treat us like a blade of grass then our tigers are ready (to go solo)," he said. 
 
 
 
 
Urging Shiv Sainiks to remain united and stand behind the party leadership, Thackeray said, "This is our battle for survival... This is our final test. We will succeed if providence is on our side... We will fail if fate is not in our favour... Don’t forget that Chhatrapati Shivaji was born in Maharashtra and he took on the mighty Mughal rulers." 
 
Talking to mediapersons in New Delhi, BJP leaders Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawde summarily dismissed Sena’s formula. Khadse said his party was not ready for any more sacrifices for the Sena’s sake. Both he and Tawde made it clear that extracting more seats from Sena was their party’s top priority. "The Maharashtra BJP’s strike rate was 60% in 2009, while the Sena’s strike rate was 40%," Khadse pointed out. 
 
Stating that BJP had offered its Rajya Sabha seat from Maharashtra to RPI leader Ramdas Athavale in the larger interest of the ‘maha yuti’, Khadse expressed shock and dismay that the Sena was not willing to part with a couple of assembly seats as compensation. 
 
 
Shiv <keyword id="115191" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sena-chief">Sena chief</keyword> Uddhav Thackeray with BJP president Amit Shah. (PTI file photo) 
 
Earlier in the day, hours after Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's tough talk in Mumbai, BJP told its partner that it was the duty of both parties to continue the tie-up and sort out issues instead of going through the media, in remarks directed at the Sena chief. BJP also termed Thackeray's final offer to it as being “nothing new” as the party has been contesting on 119 seats ever since the partnership started 25 years ago. 
 
Tawde said Sena should accept BJP’s demand for re-allocation of assembly seats. "The number of seats which Sena lost in the last five elections is 59. We want these seats to be re-distributed," he stated. 
 
"The issue of seat-sharing issue can be sorted out mutually through face-to-face talks and not through media (TV)," Tawde added. 
 
Uddhav, too, used harsh words for the 25-year-old ally. Giving a lowdown on the seat-sharing talks, he said BJP’s Om Prakash Mathur came to him 10 days ago with the 135:135 formula. "I told him we should sit down and talk. We must iron out the issues between us. Mathur later came to see me with an offer of 145 seats... We will give you these many seats, he said. Who are they to give us?", he asked. 
 
Thackeray also referred to the 140:130 formula which state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis presented to him on Saturday. 
 
The thrust of Thackeray’s speech was that BJP was not ready to acknowledge Sena’s growing strength in Maharashtra and that Sena would not tolerate humiliation from its poll partner. "What is in our ‘naseeb’ (fate), no one can take away from us," he remarked. 
 
"We have respect for Narendra Modi. But he too was humiliated as a chaiwalla... Our Sainiks will assume power if Goddess Tulja Bhavani and Goddess Mahalakshmi bless them," he added. 
 
Recalling Sena-BJP’s halcyon days, Thackeray praised Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde for leading the alliance. "Mahajan and Munde never stretched things too far. Our differences would never spiral out of control." 
 
 
(From left) BJP leader Vinod Tawde, BJP national president Amit Shah, president of Maharashtra state unit of BJP Devendra Fadnavis and BJP MLC Chandrakant Patil during a rally in Kolhapur. (TOI photo) 
 
"I have no ego, no ambition. I have a high level of self-confidence… I want power in Maharashtra, not for any other reason but to accelerate Maharashtra’s development," said the Sena president. 
 
Senior Sena functionary Subhash Desai said there was no Modi wave in Maharashtra or elsewhere in the country. Why did the BJP lose heavily in recent by-elections if there was a Modi wave, Desai asked. 
 
Thackeray claimed Modi could continue as Gujarat CM after the Godhra episode because of Balasaheb Thackeray. "L K Advani had sought Balasaheb’s advice on whether to remove Modi as Gujarat CM following widespread clamour against him. Balasaheb told Advani to retain Modi, and described Modi as a ‘mard’ (brave man) and a ‘tiger’," Uddhav said. 
 
The smaller allies, meanwhile, gave a word of warning. Mahadeo Jankar of the Rashtriya Samaj Party asked the Sena-BJP to finalise the seat-sharing formula by Monday, failing which he and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana led by Raju Shetti would walk out of the alliance. 
 
"If the differences over seat-sharing are not resolved by tomorrow, I and Raju Shetti will contest all the 288 assembly seats jointly," Jankar told agencies. The two parties would contest 144 seats each, he said. 
 
Ramdas Athavale of the RPI demanded 20 seats for the smaller allies. "Out of the 20 seats, RPI should get 10, five each from the Sena and BJP," he said.

BJP Prepares For Life After Sena, But Keeps Door Open

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: With <keyword id="6374198" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BJP-President">BJP president</keyword> <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amit-Shah">Amit Shah</keyword> issuing categorical instructions to the party’s Maharashtra leaders not to accept anything less than 130 assembly seats from <keyword id="6358821" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword>, the 25-year-old saffron alliance is likely to disintegrate, say observers. 
 Both Sena and <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> are said to be preparing to go their separate ways. The two parties have asked their cadre to prepare to go solo in the October 15 polls. The state BJP has convened a meeting of senior party functionaries in Mumbai on Tuesday to review the political situation in the wake of the aborted seat-sharing talks. 
 
As it became clear that the alliance was set to walk into the sunset, the two parties began the blame game. BJP state unit chief Devendra Fadnavis accused the Sena of bringing seat-sharing talks to a halt. “You can’t hold negotiations with a person who has closed the doors of his mind,” he told a Marathi news channel. 
 
A key Sena functionary said the alliance is dying an untimely death because of BJP’s Big Brother attitude. “BJP should accept the fact that Sena is a senior ally in the state... We accepted BJP’s ‘Mission 272’ during the LS polls. Why should our ‘Mission 150’ ruffle it?” he asked. 
 
 
 
 The Sena did make a feeble attempt earlier in the day to revive the alliance. A close confidant of Sena president <keyword id="53973" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Uddhav-Thackeray">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword> rang up BJP’s poll observer for the state, Om Prakash Mathur, suggesting resumption of seat-distribution talks, sources said. 
 
 
 Sena BJP leaders at their first poll rally in 1984. (Left to right) AB Vajpayee, <keyword id="6371377" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bal-Thackeray">Bal Thackeray</keyword>, Ram Naik, <keyword id="38062" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ram-Jethmalani">Ram Jethmalani</keyword>, Manohar Joshi and Pramod Mahajan. (Picture courtesy — Bal Thackeray: A photobiography by <keyword id="6355257" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Raj-Thackeray">Raj Thackeray</keyword>) 
But Mathur insisted on the party’s formula that the BJP should get 130 seats and the Sena could contest 140. The Sena president’s emissary did not get back to Mathur. 
 
Speculation was rife that the Maharashtra BJP may go for new allies, including the MNS and the NCP. However, BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy scotched talk of any kind of partnership with the NCP. 
 
“Actually, we would want the saffron partnership to survive the present crisis and we are eager to contest the assembly polls as allies. This is the collective wish of the people of Maharashtra. However, should the alliance end, the BJP will contest the election [all 288 seats] on its own. There is no question of cosying up to new friends,” Rudy said. 
 
Thackeray’s Sunday formula, which earmarked 151 seats for the Sena and 119 for BJP, with the remaining 18 seats going to four smaller allies, has been rejected by BJP. “The party is over. But we have no regrets,” said a senior BJP functionary. 
 
Sena and BJP offered completely contradictory versions on reports that Shah had spoken with Thackeray over the phone earlier in the day and urged for reconciliation. While Sena rubbished these reports, Rudy said, “Shah has spoken to the Sena chief, and that itself indicates that we are very, very eager to have the alliance. We won’t pull the plug. We are hopeful a solution will be found.” 
 
 
 
 
Sources said neither party wanted to create the impression that it was the one pulling the plug. 
 
Sources in New Delhi said Shah had reiterated to Sena president BJP’s demand for 130 seats, saying the party was prepared to accept the seats which Sena had never won in the last 25 years. Sena is then learned to have improved its offer to 126 seats instead of 119, sources said. 
 
The state BJP, however, said there was no new offer from Sena for more seats. “There is practically no room for fresh talks with Sena as Thackeray has said in no uncertain terms that he would not offer a single seat more to us,” a BJP functionary pointed out. 
 Reports also said Uddhav had spoken to two top BJP leaders—foreign minister <keyword id="6355111" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sushma-Swaraj">Sushma Swaraj</keyword> and home minister Rajnath Singh—on Sunday to try and find a way out of the impasse. 
 
The saffron alliance’s fate was sealed at the BJP’s Parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi on Sunday, sources said. The state BJP leaders briefed the party president on the Sena’s “haughty” stance on seat-sharing and re-allocation of 59 Sena seats which it has been losing in five consecutive polls. 
 
Shah is believed to have told the Maharashtra leaders to take the final decision on whether or not to continue the alliance. He, however, made it clear that the party should not accept anything less than 130 seats. 
 
Shah is upset with the Sena for several reasons, it is said. First, for ignoring his “come two steps forward” appeal last week. Second, for rejecting the BJP’s 140:130:18 formula. Third, Thackeray announcing the 151:119:18 formula at a Sena conclave on Sunday in full media glare. “Seat-sharing proposals are not announced on TV channels,” remarked state BJP leader Eknath Khadse. 
 
 
 Fourth, for referring to <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> Narendra Modi’s ‘chaiwalla’ antecedents at the Sena’s Sunday conclave. Fifthly, for snubbing Om Prakash Mathur, the BJP’s poll observer in Maharashtra, by sending Aditya Thackeray as the Sena’s emissary to a crucial meeting with Mathur last week. 
 
BJP is keen on retaining the Rashtriya Samaj Party, RPI and Shiv Sangram Sanghatana as allies in the post-Sena era as part of a rainbow coalition of caste-based parties. 
 
Sena tried to put up a brave face in the middle of this crisis in the alliance. “Sena has survived many crises in the past. We will emerge stronger from the present one as well,” said Sena leader Vinod Ghosalkar, an MLA. 
 
Pooh-poohing talks of the MNS joining hands with the BJP, MNS leader Nitin Sardesai, also an MLA, said, “As of now, we would like to concentrate on the polls entirely on our own.”

You Searched For "devendra fadnavis loses weight" and got 6 results

College dropout, auto driver, ‘original Sainik’ — Ekanth Shinde’s rocky ride to CM’s seat

Vaamanaa Sethi

Health guru Mickey Mehta reveals how he made busy Maharashtra CM knock off 18 kilos in 3 months

Akanksha Jain

Start your weight loss regimen with these 7 easy tips

Akanksha Jain

With Jharkhand loss, BJP loses command over most of the Hindi belt — as regional parties rise

BI India Bureau

BJP Prepares For Life After Sena, But Keeps Door Open

TOI

As Alliance Crumbles, BJP & Sena Begin Blame Game

TOI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides