Thiruvananthapuram: With the possibility of a tie-up between Congress-NCP with Shiv Sena not ruled out completely, the Kerala unit of Sharad Pawar’s party is faced with a repeat of 2014 post Assembly elections drama in Maharashtra.
In October 2014, the NCP decision to extend unconditional outside support to the BJP to form a Government in Maharashtra had divided the state leadership with the party convening working committee meeting in Ernakulam to discuss the issue.
Though NCP was part of Opposition LDF at that time, many in the party were opposed to the decision as they felt endorsing the Maharashtra line would mean supporting the BJP.
The then NCP Legislature party leader A K Saseendran opposed the stand but Thomas Chandy supported Maharashtra unit as he felt it was aimed at keeping the Shiv Sena out of power. But soon all leaders buried their differences and unanimously decided to uphold secular principles.
The NCP decision was also prompted by the fear that a pro BJP stand could make their continuation in LDF untenable.
The situation is even more complex now with NCP having a minister in LDF cabinet.
Will the CPM accept a party which shares power with strident Hindutva outfit like the Shiv Sena ? Even if the NCP which has been invited by the Governor to form the government being the third largest group in Assembly decides to take outside support from Shiv Sena, the situation of Kerala unit will become precarious.
Many believe the NCP will be more cautious this time. In 2014, the BJP and Shiv Sena which had daggers drawn at each other, finally came together to form the government.
A repeat of the same alliance is not ruled out completely especially if Shiv Sena fails to get the support of NCP and Congress.
Meanwhile, former KPCC president V M Sudheeran described BJP and Shiv Sena as two sides of the same coin. “The policies of both these parties are dangerous. Therefore the Congress should not extend direct or indirect support to the Shiv Sena to form a government,” he said.
He conveyed his views to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi.
