Sena slams Modi-centric Gujarati business community in Mumbai

A hard-hitting editorial in Saamna, the party mouthpiece, on Thursday — which is also being celebrated as Maharashtra day — questioned whether Gujarati businessmen, who have united to push Modi’s candidature, would come together for the welfare of Maharashtra.

Though the Sena is one of the oldest allies of the BJP, it has been a reluctant backer of Modi’s leadership. Uddhav Thackeray, the Sena chief, has often raised questions relating to the manner in which the BJP has been projecting Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.

The editorial urged the 110 million residents of Maharashtra to remain united and strive to realise the dreams of the 105 martyrs who were killed in police firing in 1960 during the Samyukta Maharashtra struggle. The movement, which was launched in 1956, led to the dissolution of Bombay state on May 1, 1960, and the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

“Are those Gujarati businessmen, who proudly came together to back the candidature of Modi, now ready to remain united and work for the progress of Maharashtra and participate in the celebrations?” asked the editorial.

Rich Gujaratis, who live in posh areas including Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar, Cuffe Parade, Colaba and Juhu, never participated in Maharashtra Day celebrations, accused the Saamna editorial. They came to Mumbai in poverty, made millions in the city and other parts of the state, it noted.

In the past, these industrialists claimed they were not interested in politics and wanted to be focused on their businesses. But when the Gujarat chief minister’s name was proposed as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, they all gave up their apolitical stance and got together to back Modi, added the editorial, without naming any industrialists.

The Sena and the BJP have had an uneasy relationship in Maharashtra in recent months. The Sena fears that the BJP might ultimately dump it and join hands with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, a party set up by Raj Thackeray, the estranged cousin of Uddhav, after he quit the party in 2006.

Nitin Gadkari, the former BJP president, had met Raj a few weeks ago, seeking his support for BJP candidates in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The MNS has in the past acted as a spoiler, ensuring the defeat of Sena-BJP candidates in both general and state elections.

This time the MNS has avoided fielding candidates against the BJP, though it has taken on many Shiv Sena candidates. Relations between the Thackeray siblings have also hit new lows in recent days.

Raj Thackeray is also a great admirer of Modi and had stayed in Gujarat as the chief minister’s guest some time ago. He had praised Modi for the development taking place in Gujarat.

nithin@khaleejtimes.com

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