On Shah's `openness' jibe, Sena reminds of Fadnavis's early morning swearing-in

Days after Union Home MinisterAmit Shah said he does not make promises behind closed doors,the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said it too does things openly anddoes not resort to stealth.An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana askedwhether BJP leader Devendra Fadnaviss early morningswearing-in as chief minister after the 2019 state polls wasan example of openness that Shah spoke about.On Sunday, Shah said he had not promised as laterclaimed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party that the BJP willshare the chief ministers post if the Sena-BJP alliance wonthe 2019 polls.

Days after Union Home MinisterAmit Shah said he does not make promises behind closed doors,the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said it too does things openly anddoes not resort to stealth.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' askedwhether BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis's early morningswearing-in as chief minister after the 2019 state polls wasan example of openness that Shah spoke about.

On Sunday, Shah said he had not promised (as laterclaimed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party) that the BJP willshare the chief minister's post if the Sena-BJP alliance wonthe 2019 polls. The two parties parted ways over this issue.

During the event at Kankavali in Konkan region, Shahalso said ''whatever I do, I do it openly''.

''The Shiv Sena too does what it does openly. It wouldnot have formed a government with the Congress and NCP hadthat not been the case,'' the Saamana said.

BJP leaders were making such statements due to the''frustration'' over the failure to retain power in Maharashtra,it added.

It further asked how Fadnavis taking oath as CM atdawn with NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy at Raj Bhavan in 2019could be described as `doing things openly'.

In an unexpected development, Fadnavis had taken oathas CM after alliance talks with the Sena broke down. But hehad to resign as Pawar could not muster enough MLAs from theNCP.

The Sena mouthpiece also said the country was facingserious problems including farmers' protest on Delhi borders,and the Union home minister should pay attention to theseissues.

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits have not yet returned toKashmir despite the abrogation of Article 370, the editorialsaid.

On Shah's statement that the Shiv Sena would haveceased to exist had the BJP taken on it, the editorialretorted that it was the Sena which finished off those whotried to finish it.

The BJP would not have seen its present-day success ifthe Sena had taken on it, it said.

Thanks to the BJP `not keeping its word' about sharingthe CM's post, the Sena is now seeing ''achche din'' (gooddays), it said in another dig at the former ally.

''And for that, the people of Maharashtra will foreverbe indebted to Amit Shah,'' it quipped.

Efforts were made and are being made to destabilizethe Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra but thoseefforts will fail, it said.

The editorial also took swipes at governor BhagatSingh Koshyari without naming him. The state government inNovember recommended 12 names for appointment to theLegislative Council from the governor's quota but the decisionon them was pending, it said.

Those who think that not taking a decision will rattlethe government are living under illusion, it said.