CM, Thackeray can end BEST strike, but when?

A youngster plays with a toy bus even as his hopeful family wait for the real thing on Tuesday. Pic/Nimesh Dave

There are only two persons, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, who can end the BEST strike, which, if not called off on Wednesday, will enter its ninth day.

The current political equation between the two parties seems to be dragging the strike, inconveniencing Mumbaikars. Sources close to the CM said he didn't interfere directly in the matter, but left it to the BEST and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) managements and senior Mantralaya officers, because he doesn't want to upset the Sena, which the BJP is wooing, to be part of the alliance for the Lok Sabha elections.

'CM, Thackeray must discuss'
The Sena hasn't approved of the pact yet, and the BJP has been saying that it always welcomed the alliance, but at the same time, it was quite confident of routing a party (read Sena) that does not join hands with it.

"The CM could have taken the initiative in the beginning, but there are certain points that need the Sena's approval, and an amicable resolution to the demands raised by the BEST employees. The CM is aware of the negotiations between the committee of bureaucrats and BEST employees' union. But a pointed discussion hasn't happened between the two leaders over the issue. It may happen before the next presentation before the high court which has made it clear that it cannot decide on the demands," said a senior bureaucrat.

One of the contentious issues that need a consensus between the two parties is merging of the BEST budget with that of the BMC. Other demands could also be met by discussions between the CM and Thackeray, said the officer.

A happy opposition
"The court could at the most direct the employees to end the strike and resume work, but that alone will not settle the issue," said the officer. While the BJP and Sena argue over the alliance issue, the leaders from both parties are surprisingly silent over the BEST employees' strike, despite the fact that the commuters are blaming the two for the strife they are facing.

A demand that the CM should intervene to end the strike is rising every day, even as the opposition parties are happy to see the ruling parties (that bicker in the state government and BMC) get brickbats for their inaction, and one of their own labour union heads (Shashank Rao), emerge as a force to reckon with.

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