MUMBAI, AUG 26: Alarmed senior Shiv Sena leaders on Saturday demanded an immediate intervention of both Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L K Advani to stop the vilification campaign, launched by senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde against their party during the recent civic and zilla parishad polls in some parts of Maharashtra.``We feel that Munde has exceeded his brief. Despite an agreement reached between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, he has launched a frontal attack against the Shiv Sena. In the event, the BJP leadership fails to take note of our plea, we will have no alternative but to reconsider the alliance. But we are sure, both Vajpayee and Advani will take a lead to settle the dispute,'' a senior Sena leader said.During the meeting, Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Nirupam submitted a fact-sheet on the outcome of the elections of the Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporations and Bhandara Zilla Parishad.``I brought to the notice of Advani that the BJP had been the major loser on account of his party's decision to contest the civic elections on its own, despite the fact that it has an alliance for the Assembly as well as Parliamentary elections with the Shiv Sena. Our rivals, the Congress and the NCP have turned out to be the major beneficiaries,'' Nirupam said.For instance, in the Bhandara Zilla Parishad, Nirupam said both the saffron parties had lost at least 16 seats on account of having contested the polls against each other. ``In all, the 16 constituencies, the Sena and BJP together have polled more votes than the winning candidates. As a result, despite securing more number of votes, the Congress succeeded in wresting the Zilla Parishad,'' Nirupam said.Even in the Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, the parties' performance was dismal, chiefly owing to the indifferent attitude of the BJP. ``In Aurangabad, had we agreed to an alliance, we were sure to get a clear majority. But we fought against each other, However, we had to join hands for the for the Mayoral elections subsequently,'' he added.The Bhandara ZP experience was repeated during the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls, Nirupam said. On account of the division in the alliance here, the NCP had emerged as the winner. ``In Navi Mumbai, there was absolutely no change in the performance of the BJP compared to the last elections, while Shiv Sena, which was controlling the corporation, lost it to NCP,'' he added.Nirupam felt that it was not good politics if the Sena and BJP opt to become rivals during civic and zilla parishad elections, while having an an alliance at the assembly and the parliamentary levels. Such a position would have an adverse impact in the next assembly and parliamentary polls, as well, he warned.This was because ``in all the elections, our workers and voters are common. Under such circumstances, if we contest against each other, a wrong message will be sent to the electorate and consequently damage the alliance,'' he said.On the other hand, a senior BJP leader said the decision to contest the election against the Shiv Sena in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation had the approval of the party high command. Ever since party's decision for a Shat Pratishat BJP (cent per cent BJP), it was decided that barring the Assembly and Parliamentary elections, there would be no alliance with the Shiv Sena or other any party. ``We are not bothered about our performance, but we are keen to set up units in all the blocks and tehsils in the entire State. Then only we will be able to achieve the Shat Pratishat BJP goal,'' a senior BJP leader said.
