Andheri (East) no-contest: The bypoll bonhomie hides many internal tussles

However, apart from courtesy for Ramesh, who died in May, and the fact that a win or loss in the bypoll has little weight when the next Assembly elections are approaching soon, there is more to the development than meets the eye. In 2019, Ramesh was the joint Shiv Sena-BJP candidate.

By pulling a surprise and speaking up on behalf of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, Raj Thackeray sent two significant messages. One was to cousin Uddhav, about doors being open for rapprochement. Second was to the BJP, which has kept the MNS hanging over an alliance despite Raj’s obvious interest, particularly since the BJP returned to power with the Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction.

In his letter to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj said: “I have closely watched the politics of the late Ramesh Latke. He was a good worker… It is my ardent appeal, let the by-elections be unopposed. The victory of Rutuja Latke will be a tribute to the late Ramesh Latke,”

Highly placed sources in the BJP admitted the party had been giving mixed signals to the MNS, and that while it might court him for covert support, remains reluctant as far as a formal alliance goes. “In the last one year, BJP top leaders hobnobbed with Raj Thackeray. They made a beeline to his residence to greet him. But when Union minister Amit Shah came to Mumbai, there was no meeting with Raj Thackeray,” a leader pointed out.

On Raj’s letter to Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader said: “The MNS has indicated that if the BJP does not go for a formal alliance with it, it has other options, including the Shiv Sena (UBT).”

The BJP itself may have made good of a bad situation by pulling out of the Andheri East seat. Sources said that Eknath Shinde had asked ally BJP to let their chosen candidate for Andheri East, Murji Patel, stand on the ticket of his Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena. Shinde wanted the by-election to be a contest between his faction of the Sena and Uddhav’s. Sources said while the BJP feared the repercussions of a loss, Patel himself insisted on contesting on a BJP ticket.

Meanwhile, many within the BJP were unhappy about the nomination of Patel for the seat. Earlier, Patel had been disqualified as BMC corporator following a Bombay High Court order for failing to furnish valid caste certificate, after having won from a reserved ward in 2017. Moreover, in 2019, Patel had lost from Andheri East to Latke, while contesting as an Independent, after rebelling from the BJP.

Those in the party in favour of a contest rather than a walkover to Rutuja Latke, felt that a fight would galvanise the cadre for the coming BMC polls, and that “the party should not worry about electoral results”.

Pawar’s appeal to parties to not field a candidate against Rutuja was perhaps the least surprising, with the NCP stand on contests held under similar circumstances in the past being the same. Pawar cited the election after the death of senior BJP leader and Union minister Gopinath Munde. “The NCP did not field any candidate against his daughter Pritam Munde Khade from the Beed Lok Sabha seat.”

BJP leaders point out that they too did not field any candidate when the wife of late NCP leader and Deputy CM R R Patil contested a 2015 by-election from Tasgaon-Kavate-Mahakal, following his death.

Lately though, the gloves had been off. In 2020, when sitting three-term NCP MLA Bharat Bhalke died due to Covid complications, and the party fielded his son Bhagirath Bhalke, the BJP turned down an appeal for an unopposed contest.

At the time, the BJP was keen to test its political standing against the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and fielded Samadhan Autada. After an aggressive campaign, the BJP won the seat.