Bypolls again, but Sena sees no Chimur repeat

Their mutual suspicions may linger, but the Shiv Sena is hopeful of support from Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari for the Ramtek Lok Sabha bypoll.

Their mutual suspicions may linger, but the Shiv Sena is hopeful of support from Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari for the Ramtek Lok Sabha bypoll. The reason: BJP is faced with Lok Sabha bypolls in Jalgaon and Erandol, which, in the Sena8217;s calculation, is enough to force Gadkari not to undermine its prospects in Ramtek.

Only last October, the state witnessed a face-off between Gadkari and the Sena. The BJP president demanded the Chimur Assembly seat for fighting a bypoll caused by the resignation of a Sena MLA. The Sena protested and even threatened to snap the alliance, but Gadkari remained firm on his demand. Finally, the Sena relented, though the BJP lost the bypoll.

Sena cadres, as expected, did not work for the BJP nominee. The BJP, in retaliation, did not help the Sena in another Assembly bypoll in Daryapur. As a result, the Sena too lost.

8220;Contrary to the Chimur episode, we don8217;t expect any sabotage in Ramtek because they have to lean on our cadres in Jalgaon and Erandol,8221; sources in the Sena told The Indian Express.

They said both parties are conducting a joint campaign. While Gadkari is canvassing for Sena nominee Prakash Jadhav in Ramtek, Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to return the gesture by campaigning in the two BJP constituencies.

Ramtek falls in Nagpur district of Vidarbha, home to Gadkari. The BJP has a strong base in the area, having won the zila parishad election early this month. For the Sena, it is a prestigious contest8212;the bypoll has been caused by the defection of party MP Subodh Mohite to Congress.

The mood in the Sena-camp is upbeat thanks to the decision of former Maharashtra Congress president Ranjit Deshmukh to oppose Mohite on the Kisan Vikas Aghadi banner. Deshmukh is also known to enjoy the support of his cousin and local NCP leader Anil Deshmukh.

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The trouble between Gadkari and Sena is linked to the internal equations within the BJP. The Sena is more comfortable working with BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde, seeing him as a link with the late Pramod Mahajan, who liaised between the two allies till his death.