From Kolhapur to Buldhana, friction plagues ruling alliance ahead of local body polls

Following the split in their respective parties, the name Shiv Sena and NCP was given to the parties led by deputy CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, respectively. Both are allies of the BJP in the state government. Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are in the opposition. Despite this, Patil’s statement has hurt the allies.

Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat said that Patil should be careful while speaking as the court has officially given the Shiv Sena name and the party to us (Ekanth Shinde led group). NCP MLC Amol Mitkari termed it ‘slip of tongue.’

This however is an addition to an already growing list of attacks and counter- attacks within the ruling alliance.

In Pune, Shiv Sena leader and former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar was leading the attack against Union MoS and BJP Lok Sabha MP Muralidhar Mohol in the proposed sale of Jain Boarding land in Pune. The involvement of Mohol’s previous real estate partner in the deal became an issue in Pune. The infighting went to the extent that BJP even complained to Eknath Shinde against Dhangekar, despite which the latter continued his attack against Mohol. Eventually, the deal had to be cancelled. “I am working for justice and for the people of Pune. I am not against an individual,” Dhangekar said.

In Raigad, the ruling NCP and Shiv Sena are far from reaching a settlement. Both parties are yet to compromise on the district’s guardian ministership. Raigad along with Nasik are two districts in the state where the decision of guardian ministership has not been taken due to disagreement between two ruling parties. Sources claimed that the NCP has decided to ally with opposition’s Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena for the local body polls. NCP spokesperson and former MP Anand Paranjpe however denied it saying his party is a responsible ally and the reports regarding any such alliance are false.

Former CM and present deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s hometown Thane and neighbouring Navi Mumbai too has witnessed friction within the ruling alliance. State’s Forest minister Ganesh Naik’s repeated meetings in Thane and his call for ‘go solo’ in Navi Mumbai has not gone down too well with the Sena. “He is a senior minister and we respect him. But as a party we expect that he should refrain from making announcements contrary to the interests of Mahayuti,” Thane LS MP Naresh Mhaske had said.

In coastal Sindhudurg district, the Sena and BJP are again at loggerheads with Rajan Teli of the Sena accusing BJP minister Nitesh Rane – also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg – of being a mastermind in the loan scam at the Sindhudurg District Central Cooperative Bank. Rane shot back saying Teli was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for misusing loans taken from the bank.

In Solapur, BJP MLA and former district president Sachin Kalyanshetti claimed that the party will be going solo in upcoming local body polls. “We have a strong organisation and workers. We are ready to contest the election solo,” he said, adding that local units have been empowered to take a final call. Last week, two former MLAs of Ajit Pawar led NCP in Solapur district, namely Rajan Patil and Yashwant Mane, joined the BJP.

In Vidarbha’s Buldhana, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad came under scanner after BJP district chief Vijay Shinde warned that alliance was possible only if BJP is considered as the ‘big brother’. In Jalgaon, the Sena MLA Kishor Patil announced to go solo, accusing the BJP of enrolling all the independents who fought against him.

Speaking to reporters at a Diwali function while commenting on the alliance in upcoming local body polls, CM Fadnavis had said that the ruling alliance will fight the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections as an alliance. “But in other places, we will take decisions according to the local situation,” he said, hinting at in-fighting in many places. “If we fight as a grand alliance, seats of the opposition may increase. Therefore, we will fight independently without being overly emotional, and after winning, we will come together as a grand alliance,” he had said. Days later deputy CM Eknath Shinde had held a meeting with PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

A senior BJP leader when asked about the disagreements termed them minor but inevitable happenings. “Wherever two parties are strong, we might see some friction, especially with local body polls around. But that does not mean that there is any problem in the alliance,” the leader said.

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