Mahayuti leaders forge a truce after 1st phase of polls

In Mumbai, BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP plan to unite for upcoming local body polls, setting aside past conflicts to enhance electoral outcomes.

MUMBAI: With the first phase of the local body polls coming to an end, and the remaining two to follow in the next six weeks, the three parties in the ruling Mahayuti – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – have decided to set aside their internal bickering and take the path of harmony. All three are expected to hold a joint meeting over the next couple of days to discuss the civic body elections.

Mahayuti leaders forge a truce after 1st phase of polls

This comes on the back of BJP’s joint national general secretary Shiv Prakash holding a closed-door meeting with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, where seat sharing for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections was discussed, based on BJP’s survey reports on the probable election results in the first phase.

A Sena leader in the know of things, said, BJP had offered the party approximately 55-60 seats, although Sena was looking to contest at least 80 seats. BJP is looking to contest approximately 155 seats. The two parties shared their list of wards with strong possibility of victory and the results from the 2017 elections.

On the other hand, it is believed that BJP has offered 10 seats to the other two constituents – NCP and RPI’s Athawale faction.

The BJP and Shiv Sena have been at loggerheads ahead of the first phase of the elections to over 264 local bodies which concluded earlier this week. A strained relationship between the two parties was evident in many parts of the state such as Sindhudurg, Ambernath and Thane, while violent clashes were reported in some parts. Solapur saw a face-off between BJP and NCP leaders after the former inducted the entire unit of leaders from the latter ahead of the municipal council elections. Likewise, Sena and NCP workers clashed in Mahad, Raigad, on Tuesday over trivial political differences at a polling booth, leading to a war of words between leaders of both parties.

Now, ahead of the two final polls, Mahayuti leaders have opted to change their course. “We have decided against any further poaching from each other’s parties. We have differences but no emotional discord. We are treading on the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. The top leaders of all the three parties, who have cordial relations, will meet shortly to decide on the further course of action,” said Chandrashekhar Bawankule, revenue minister and state in-charge for elections for BJP at a press meet on Friday.

After weeks-long slugfest, in Sindhudurg BJP and Sena are likely to set aside their differences. Sena MLA Nilesh Rane, who was in a fight with his brother and BJP leader Nitesh Rane in the municipal council elections, said on Friday: “We all are coming together for the sake of Hindutva. The forthcoming elections should be fought as a combined effort for better outcome. I will meet chief minister Fadnavis and BJP chief Ravindra Chavan, since the elections are over and so the differences between us must be laid to rest. I have nothing personal against Chavan. He was fighting for his party, I for mine.”

Chavan, who was targeted by Nilesh during the campaign, concurred, saying “since the elections are over everything (infighting) should be left behind”.

Meanwhile, after Prakash’s meeting with Shinde at the latter’s bungalow, on Wednesday, a senior BJP leader said: “The two parties are expected to forge an alliance only in BMC of the total 29 corporations in the forthcoming elections. They are expected to fight together as the Thackeray cousins have joined hands for the BMC polls, and Congress remains a part of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).”

He underscored that it will send a positive message among the Marathi and Hindi voters.