With exit polls predicting a sweep for the Narendra Modi-led BJP, will the party adopt a tough stand against Shiv Sena and its chief Uddhav Thackeray?

Will it set conditions for the reunion of the old friends? Will it ask for Uddhav’s apology for his infamous and politically costly ‘Chaiwallah’ remark?

This is the hot topic in Maharashtra these days. Prickly seat-sharing issues forced BJP and Shiv Sena – friends for over 25 years – to part ways. They fought separately this time. The runup to the polling too was no less acrimonious, with Shiv Sena hurling choicest abuses on its old flame.

Uddhav called BJP ‘Pitrupaksh ka kauva’ (The crow that eats offerings to the dead) and besides personal attacks, he asked his mouthpiece Samna to fire on all cylinders. Samna used acidic and acerbic expletives to attack the BJP. Uddhav himself said that if a chaiwallah can become India’s PM, he too could become a CM. After the furore over this intemperate remark, the Sena chief made some amends, but the damage was already done.

But, in its typically Narenda Modian style, the BJP chose not to attack Shiv Sena. Modi himself said that he would not comment on Shiv Sena in deference to Balasaheb Thackeray. This is typically Modi. He never attacked his rivals Shankar Singh Vaghela and Keshubhai Patel. During the last Gujarat Assembly polls, he instructed party cadres not to reply to Keshubhai’s taunts. As a result, Keshubhai exhausted himself attacking Modi and lost the election badly. In Maharashtra too, this formula of wearing off SS was put in motion. While Uddhav attacked him, Modi continued to ignore him, much to the chagrin of the former.

Now sources say that the BJP could set conditions for Shiv Sena’s return and could ask Uddhav to apologise. But, those who know Modi feel that he would ignore all those dirty jibes and hug Uddhav as if nothing happened. Modi’s dictum is - Ignoring the detractor is the best way to kill him. This would further weaken Uddhav and his beleaguered Shiv Sena.

Even Chhatrapati Shivaji hugged renegade Netaji Palkar and won him over. Will Modi do a Chhatrapathi on October 19, the day the result would be out?