Election 2019: All is not well between allies Shiv Sena-BJP at Palghar

Though the top brass of the two parties may have buried the hatchet, BJP's grass-roots workers express strong discontent in Palghar and Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituencies about bartering seats with Shiv Sena

All is not well in the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. While top leaders might have buried their differences to ink the pre-poll alliance for the upcoming polls, there is strong discontent among the local rank and file in the Palghar and North East Lok Sabha constituencies.

On Thursday, BJP office bearers and workers from the Palghar belt met at a resort in Dahanu to discuss their resentment at Sena leader Rajendra Gavit being given the local BJP MP's seat without taking any of them into confidence.

Also Read: Mumbai: Shiv Sena 'inducts' BJP candidate in Palghar ahead of Lok Sabha elections

The local party workers unanimously decided not to work for Gavit

The Palghar seat was vacant after the passing of BJP MP Chintaman Wanga in January 2018. Following his death, by-polls were held in which the allies fought against each other. While BJP fielded Rajendra Gavit, Sena's ticket went to Wanga's son Shrinivas, who lost.

Following the by-polls, Sena had pledged to field Shrinivas for the 2019 general elections. In their pre-poll alliance, one of the terms was to give Sena the Palghar seat. After that, Sena asked Gavit to join their party to nominate him for the seat. On Tuesday, he was officially fielded as their candidate.

(From left) Rajendra Gavit (in all white), Uddhav Thackeray and Shrinivas Wanga

However, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had said this was being done because Shrinivas wanted to work as an MLA first. Thackeray said Gavit has worked in the constituency in the past eight to nine months and therefore, instead of giving the ticket to somebody else, he found it appropriate to induct him into the Sena and field him from Palghar.

Also Read: Election 2019: Shiv Sena's present and murky past battle for future

Won't work for him

But this has not gone down well with local BJP leaders and workers. A senior BJP functionary from the region said, "As party workers, we want Narendrabhai [Modi] to retain the coveted Prime Minister post. But, while parting away with the Palghar Lok Sabha seat, none of the local leaders were take into confidence. We accepted the decision in national interest."

Shrinivas Wanga and Rajendra Gavit

"We lost our cool when Sena announced Gavit as its candidate for the Lok Sabha polls. The sentiments of the party unit are hurt as everything has been done without keeping the local leadership in the loop. In the meeting, we unanimously decided not to work for the Shiv Sena candidate. The feelings of the local party workers have been conveyed to the BJP's state unit."

Paskal Dhanare, an MLA from Dahanu, who also is BJP's district president said, "We will abide by the party's decision, as our aim and dream is to see Narendra Modi's second term as the PM. It is true that the sentiments of party workers are hurt. It is my duty as the local office bearer to convey feelings of local workers to the party seniors. Accordingly, I have done so."

Meanwhile, Congress-NCP and CPI (M) have decided not to field any candidates in the constituency and instead support the local Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi candidate for the polls. The party, headed by Thakur clan, has a good clout in the Vasai-Virar belt and nearby region.

Kirit Somaiya

Not in spirit with Kirit

A similar resentment is bubbling in the North East constituency too, but there, Sena is the upset party. It has been opposing BJP's plan to nominate BJP MP Kirit Somaiya for the polls because of his unrelenting criticism of the Thackeray clan. So spirited is their protest that they've even come up with a slogan: 'Sena's one spirit, no Kirit'. A senior Sena functionary said, "Sena is okay with any candidate from BJP, except Kirit Somaiya. If BJP gives the ticket to Somaiya, Sena will not work for the candidate."

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