Congress to send observers to Maharashtra to gauge ground mood

NEW DELHI: With the flux in Maharashtra politics prompting Congresss state unit to demand that the leadership relax its veto against Shiv Sena, the party is mulling sending central observers to Mumbai to take stock of the mood on the ground. They will prepare feedback for the leadership.
Sources said the plan is that the observers will speak to the legislators as well as organisation leaders on their views on the standoff between allies Shiv Sena and BJP over government formation.
What is crucial in the present situation is the pressure from a section of Maharashtra leaders that Congress shed its abhorrence for Sena. The leadership, while keen to inflict a wound on BJP, is averse to the idea because of the cost on its image as an “uncompromising secularist”. But with the Sena sticking to its guns, a recognition seems to be setting in that the saffron standoff may generate options for it hitherto unavailable and which may help it achieve the goal of excluding BJP from Mantralaya without getting into a clinch with Sena.
A big section in the party is pleased with the way NCP boss Sharad Pawar has been playing his cards, and is salivating at the prospect of the wily Maratha taking the wheel in Mantralaya in alliance with Sena. Congress, given its determination to punish BJP, may not be averse to the idea of supporting such an arrangement which cushions it from the taint of an open courtship with the “communal” Sena.
Sources conceded that things remained hazy and that the next four days would be crucial. But they are pleased with the way things have panned out so far.
State satraps believe pushing BJP out of power in the state would be a big political gain as it would dent its aura of invincibility besides giving Congress and NCP relief from the “vendetta politics” pursued by the Devendra Fadnavis regime over five years.
The feedback was conveyed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi when Maharashtra leaders, including former chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj ChaRead More – Source