Tussle with BJP may cost Shiv Sena dear
MUMBAI: By fielding its candidate against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Palghar bypolls, the Shiv Sena has put a spanner in the probable victory of its long standing ally. This may cost the Shiv Sena dear in the legislative council elections, being held for six seats on Monday.
The saffron parties would be fighting in the biennial elections for six seats of the legislative council from the local bodies in 13 districts.
“In Konkan, Sena has highest corporators in local bodies, but NCP’S Aniket Tatkare has been supported by Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksh, Peasant and Workers Party and the Congress. BJP is likely to have tacit understanding with NCP, as it wants to pay back Sena for ditching it in Palghar. Similarly in Nashik, without support from BJP, it would be difficult for Sena to mark victory,” said a BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity.
Shiv Sena has fielded Shrinivas Wanga, the son of late BJP MP Chintaman Wanga as its candidate against BJP candidate Rajendra Gavit and Congress’s Damodar Shingda for the Palghar Lok Sabha bypolls, to be held on May 28.
Sena turned down BJP’S appeal for offering support to Gavit, widening the rift between the two parties even more.
Sena candidate in Palghar is likely to play a spoilsport for BJP in the bypolls, some of its leaders feel.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has already announced to go solo in all the forthcoming elections. By extending support to Congress candidate Vishwajeet Kadam for assembly bypolls in Palus-kadegaon in Sangli, the Sena had further clarified its resolve to not join hands with BJP in the polls.
The strained ties between the two saffron parties has resulted in the BJP extending its support to an independent in Nashik, making it difficult for the Shiv Sena candidate there.
“When we decided to field our candidate against BJP in Palghar, we were aware about all the likely consequences we would be facing in council polls. Sena is not bothered about the political price it needs to pay, once we take a stand. We will win the council seats on our own,” said senior Sena leader Anil Parab.
BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said that the party will consider all the equations (with Shiv Sena) while voting in these polls.
BJP has the numbers to win both the seats in Vidarbha constituency. The results of council polls will be announced on May 24.