MuNde carves out graNd aLLiaNce iN maharashtra
The BJP veteran is consolidating his position as a widely accepted leader.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde is back in Maharashtra’s political centre stage, by successfully cobbling together a grand alliance of non- Congress parties. Munde used his personal equations with leaders from the farming, Dalit and OBC communities to bring them on the same platform as the BJP-Shiv Sena. He hopes that the grand alliance will win at least 35 of Maharashtra’s 48 Lok Sabha seats.
Munde used his clout in the BJP to get a Rajya Sabha nomination for Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale. Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, has been sulking ever since a Congress cam- paign led to his defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. With his elevation to the Upper House, the BJP is expected to gain the goodwill of the Dalits. “The state’s 19% Dalits are certainly very happy with the move. We will work to cut CongressNCP votes even if the BJP does not give us a share in power,” Athawale said. Munde also brought Raju Shetti’s Swabhimani Shetakari Sanghatana (SSS) into the National Democratic Alliance. Shetti, a Member of Parliament from Hatkanangale, has made a dent in the NCP bastion of Western Maharashtra. The BJP hopes that Shetti’s presence will help the NDA in at least three Lok Sabha seats in Western Maharashtra. “We joined the NDA because the BJP accepted our demand to implement the Ranganathan Committee’s recommendations on farmers. Munde has also promised the setting up of a commission for drought relief measures,” Shetti said.
Munde also convinced Dhangar leader Mahadeo Jankar to join the NDA. The Dhangar (shepherd) is the biggest OBC community in Maharashtra. But Jankar has some differences with Shetti. He wants to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Madha. Shetti wants the seat for his party leader Sada Khot. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had won Madha in 2009. However, Jankar clarified that he would abide by Munde’s decision on Madha. “Some people are conspiring against us in Madha. I don’t have any aspiration other than becoming an MP. Munde’s word will be final in this regard. I am with NDA only because of him. I will not ditch him,” Jankar said.
Munde has cordial relations with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. He is confident that the NDA will perform better than in 2009. “People are fed up with the Congress and NCP. We are giving them an alternative. Our alliance is based on certain values. We are determined to work together. This will definitely bring us good results,” he said. He stayed silent on his return to the centre stage. “I am thinking at this moment of strengthening Narendra Modi’s hand by getting more and more people elected from Maharashtra,” he said. However, a BJP leader said that Munde might try to get into the state Assembly if the NDA secures a majority in the Assembly elections due in September. “Munde is more interested in becoming Maharashtra Chief Minister rather than working in the Lok Sabha. He is trying to consolidate his position by establishing that he is a widely accepted leader,” the leader said.