In a significant revelation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the behind-the-scenes details of the tumultuous split between Shiv Sena and BJP in 2014. During the felicitation event for Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur, Fadnavis shared insights into the negotiations and the pivotal factors that contributed to the alliance’s disintegration.

Fadnavis remarked, “We were prepared to allocate 147 seats to Shiv Sena, with an agreement that the Chief Minister’s position would come from our side, while Shiv Sena would assume the Deputy Chief Minister role.”

He emphasized that although the initial discussions reflected a mutual agreement, Shiv Sena’s insistence on more seats ultimately led to the alliance’s collapse. “Uddhav Thackeray was quite firm in his demand for 151 seats, which marked the turning point in our negotiations,” Fadnavis explained.

According to him, the BJP had designed a seat-sharing formula proposing that Shiv Sena contest 147 seats while BJP would take 127. However, Uddhav Thackeray’s insistence on 151 seats created an irreconcilable divide between the parties.

Fadnavis elaborated, “We engaged with Shiv Sena’s leadership and were willing to offer them more seats, but Uddhav was resolute about sticking to 151.” He recounted the significant involvement of Om Prakash Mathur, who communicated with BJP leader Amit Shah, escalating the situation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Amit Shah spoke with the Prime Minister, ultimately deciding that the alliance could only continue if the formula was set at 127 for BJP and 147 for Shiv Sena. If not, the coalition would not be feasible,” Fadnavis stated.

He then recalled the critical moment that led to the final obstacle, saying, “I had faith in Amit Shah and Om Prakash Mathur. We believed we could win, but others in the party were less optimistic.”

Fadnavis, with the backing of Mathur and Shah, laid down an ultimatum to Shiv Sena, proposing to contest elections under the structure of 147 for Shiv Sena and 127 for BJP. “We told them that if they were willing to fight for 147 seats, we would support them while contesting 127 seats. Both parties would garner excellent results and win over 200 seats,” he remembered.

However, Uddhav Thackeray declined the proposal, adhering to his demand for 151 seats. This resolve, as per Fadnavis, led to the dissolution of the alliance. Fadnavis reflected, “It seems destiny had other plans—my journey was destined to make me Chief Minister.”

Fadnavis further shed light on their election strategy. Despite the setback in seat-sharing discussions, he highlighted that BJP, under Narendra Modi’s leadership, contested in an unprecedented number of constituencies. “We ran in over 260 seats, which had never been done before; our previous highest was 117 seats,” he remarked.

This bold strategic decision, according to Fadnavis, laid the groundwork for BJP’s triumph in Maharashtra. “Since that time, the BJP has stood as the largest party in the state, being the only party in the last 30 years to exceed the 100-seat milestone. This achievement is thanks to Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and Om Prakash Mathur,” Fadnavis concluded.

This revelation provides a new perspective on the dramatic political shifts that led to the end of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and reshaped Maharashtra’s political dynamics.