BJP, SENA FACE SOME REBELS, ‘FRIENDLY FIGHTS’ ON CARDS

MUMBAI/AMBALA: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena coalition is facing a number of rebel candidates in Maharashtra and party leaders admit that a “friendly” contest between the allies might be witnessed in at least three seats in Sindhudurg district of the Konkan region.

Officially, the BJP and smaller allies are fighting in 164 of the state’s 288 assembly seats while the Sena is contesting in 124 seats. The voting is on October 21 and the results will be announced three days later.

But some problems are visible already. In Sindhudurg, problems began when the BJP named former chief minister Narayan Rane’s son and incumbent legislator Nitesh as its candidate from Kankavli. The Shiv Sena put up Satish Sawant against Rane, effectively contesting against the BJP, which was allotted the seat.

Rane, a former Sena leader, shares a bitter relation with the Thackerays who control the Sena.

In adjoining constituencies of Kudal and Sawantwadi, which are with the Sena in the alliance, close associates of Narayan Rane have been fielded as independents against Sena candidates. “Our fight is not against the BJP but against the Ranes. We had already told the BJP leadership not to give ticket to anyone from Rane family. We would have worked for any other candidate but him,” said Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP Vinayak Raut, a member of Shiv Sena.Pramod Jathar, district head of the BJP in Sindhudurg, said that the district is poised for a close contest. “We have an alliance but here we will have a friendly fight,” he said.

The state capital of Mumbai is witnessing three rebellions. In Versova, Sena rebel Rajul Patel is contesting against the BJP’s candidate and sitting legislator Bharati Lavekar. In Andheri East, BJP corporator Murji Patel has fighting as an independent candidate against Sena’s Ramesh Latke. Upset that his seat went to the Sena, the BJP’s sitting legislator from Kalyan west, Narendra Pawar, is contesting as an independent. In Nasik West, the BJP’s official candidate Seema Hiray is facing a Sena rebel, Vilas Shinde.