PMC polls: Shinde Sena says alliance with BJP intact after seat allocation causes uproar in local unit
In the 2017 polls, the Shiv Sena had won 10 seats in the PMC and seven of its former corporators have since switched over to the BJP, which has fielded them for the civic polls.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde (left) and CM Devendra Fadnavis (right). (File Photo) Minutes after its local leadership indicated it was parting ways with the BJP accusing the party of not allotting a “respectable share of seats” for its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said its pre-poll alliance with the BJP was intact and an amicable solution to seat-sharing will be arrived at in the next few days.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier announced that the party would contest the elections in all 29 municipal corporations across the state in alliance with the Shiv Sena.
For the Pune civic body, the BJP offered 16 of the 165 seats to the Shiv Sena, which the party’s local unit rejected. The polls are slated to be held on January 15, while the results will be declared on January 16.
Expressing the party’s dissatisfaction, Sena leader Ajay Bhosale said, “We are upset with the BJP’s treatment. Our party is yet to take a decision on the alliance as this seat-sharing formula is unacceptable to us. We have given the official party document to 100 aspirants to contest the civic polls.”
Echoing the sentiment, Sena’s city unit chief Nana Bhangire said, “The alliance with BJP in Pune is almost over.”
Shiv Sena leader and state minister Uday Samat rushed to Pune after agitated local leaders demanded that the party go solo in PMC polls. “I am aware that party workers are disappointed. I have spoken to Fadnavis and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol on the issue. There has been some misunderstanding… the pre-poll alliance with the BJP remains intact as contrary to statements made by local leaders that it is as good as over,” he said.
The Shiv Sena has given official letters to many party aspirants for contesting the civic polls in Pune, he said, adding, “There are three days for withdrawal of candidature. The state will see civic polls for 29 municipal corporations simultaneously, so senior leaders could not discuss all the civic bodies. Now, they will do so and find a solution to seat-sharing.”
Sena leader Vijay Shivtare said the party has given the official letter of candidature to around 100 aspirants but that they have been told they would have to withdraw if there is direction from the top leadership. “There will be discussions on seats and whoever has a strong candidate will retain candidature and the candidate of the other alliance partner will withdraw from the fray,” he said.
Earlier, the local Sena leadership got agitated after the BJP declared candidates in seats where the Sena wanted to contest and offered only 16 seats to the Sena. “The seats offered were ones where the BJP feared it could not win,” a Sena leader said.
Sena leaders also alleged the BJP took the lion’s share of the seats despite having no strong chances of winning. Shinde’s party is ready to contest independently on all seats, a party leader said.
In the 2017 polls, the Shiv Sena had won 10 seats in the PMC and seven of its former corporators have since switched over to the BJP, which has fielded them for the civic polls.
On Monday night, Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Dhangekar met NCP chief Ajit Pawar to explore the possibility of an alliance between the NCP and Shiv Sena. “Ajit Pawar communicated to us that he will get back to the Shiv Sena,” he said.
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