Maybe or not, says State BJP leaders

MUMBAI: Once again, political corridors are abuzz with the possibility of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assembly, in April and May respectively, this year. A senior BJP legislator from Mumbai claimed the party has indicated that both elections may be held simultaneously. However, another BJP leader has refuted these whispers. As the political situation in neighbouring Karnataka became shaky after reports of its Congress legislators hiding in Mumbai, the local BJP legislator claimed his party leadership was trying to unseat the Karnataka Janata Dal-Congress alliance government before January 21. “If this happens and the BJP comes into power in the state, it can take the risk of simultaneous polls in Maharashtra,” the leader said. He claimed, “The drought in the state will not affect the BJP, we will retain power.” In 1999, the then chief minister, Narayan Rane of the Shiv Sena, had dissolved the first 'yuti' (alliance) government of the Sena-BJP, six months before the end of its term. But the alliance lost power in the 1999 assembly polls and the Congress-NCP alliance reigned for the next fifteen years. Another BJP source claimed, “CM Devendra Fadnavis is not ready for simultaneous polls. However, if it is the order of the party's national president, Amit Shah, Fadnavis has no option.” An official from the state office of the Election Commission of India said, “There is no issue of shortage of Electronic Voting Machines. We are ready to face any decision.”