Sena exposes other parties' ambivalence

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI, NOV. 28. It was only a seeming fiasco when the Shiv Sena sought in vain to move a resolution commending a unified, Marathi-speaking State yesterday in the legislature even as Maharashtra contended with two major issues: unification of the Marathi-speaking region of Karnataka with Maharashtra and how to deal with the resurrected demand for Vidarbha statehood. The Sena, in reality, managed to show that all parties, except itself, were ambivalent on the issue.

It was Mr. Narayan Rane, Sena's Opposition Leader, who set the cat among the pigeons, by bidding to move, with prior announcement, his Akhanda Maharashtra resolution on the opening day of the winter session in the full realisation it would not even be discussed. He had a deeper design in which he succeeded: exposing all parties which speak of samyukta Maharashtra and striving for amalgamating Karnataka's Belgaum with Maharashtra but did not stand up and be counted. This went far from his image of a rash politician.

Mr. Rane also showed up that by not rooting for this resolution and simultaneously not opposing statehood for Vidarbha, they betrayed their ambivalence. The BJP, first to voice support for Vidarbha statehood, remained as had been its wont of late, quite silent on this specific issue despite its proactive role in carving out three new States - Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chattisgarh. Its apparent fear is a break-up with the Sena as a consequence.

Mr. Rane and Mr. Bal Thackeray, Sena supremo, think that the BJP is uncooperative in bringing down the Congress-NCP led coalition and have complained to its central leadership. Nothing would be more joyous to it than see the BJP compromising somewhere to keep the tie-up alive. From the start, the BJP and the Sena have taken contradictory stands on this and the BJP does not want to push hard. It cannot risk adverse implications for the Vajpayee Government, beset as it is with finger-wagging by Mr. Thackeray of late.

The BJP did walk a tightrope yesterday but also allowed its MLAs to show a pro-Vidarbha attitude in the legislature, just to keep the partymen's interest in the issue alive. That, of course, was never officially articulated support for or against the separatist demand. The Congress too came out, as did the NCP, only second best in the commitment-to-a-cause sweepstakes. It thwarted the resolution amid noisy scenes but found its legislators quite free in voicing support for Vidarbha. By shouting pro-Vidarbha slogans, they placed themselves against a unified Maharashtra.

It was the Sena alone which asserted its position that Maharashtra should remain undivided despite a sectional clamour, as of now, for Vidarbha statehood, first formally voiced by the BJP a few years ago.

The Sena's stand was that it would favour statehood only if the backwardness of the region was not removed within a prescribed timeframe.

That has long lapsed but it cannot concede the demand because the Sena ruled, with the BJP for nearly five years. It was the Congress which was in for some embarrassment still awaiting Mrs. Sonia Gandhi's nod for or against the cause.

Its cadres and several leaders - Mr. Ranjit Deshmukh and his associates inside the legislature, and Mr. Banwarilal Purohit, ex-MP and Mr. N. K. P. Salve outside - pushed the issue hard even as the party awaits a view from the high command.

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