Cold war between BJP, Shiv Sena cadres worsens in Maharashtra

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, April 25

With days left for the fourth phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, relations between local level Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena leaders in Maharashtra are showing signs of getting worse amidst reports of acrimonious exchanges behind the scenes.

According to sources, candidates of both the parties have complained to their leaders about cadres from their allies not co-operating during the election campaign. A few candidates have even accused workers belonging to the allied party of working against them.

In South Mumbai, sitting Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant is among those who are accusing BJP leaders belonging to the Gujarati and Jain communities of working for Congress candidate Milind Deora. “Rumours of Shiv Sena cadres selling meat outside Jain Derasars two years ago has caused some BJP workers to stay at home. We are trying to convince them to campaign for us,” a Shiv Sena leader from South Mumbai said.

In Maval, where Sharad Pawar’s grand-nephew Parth, is contesting, local BJP leader Lakshman Jagtap openly campaigned against sitting Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Bharne.

“No action was taken against Jagtap, but he simply issued a statement that he and Bharne have buried their differences,” a Shiv Sena leader said.

Amidst reports that the RSS and the BJP were working to undercut several candidates from the Shiv Sena, the latter asked its party workers retaliate against its ally. The Congress-Nationalist Congress
Party is said to be the main beneficiary with Shiv Sena cadres working against BJP candidates in Marathwada and Western Maharashtra.

Sources say a section of the Shiv Sena had vowed to defeat the Maharashtra president of the BJP Raosaheb Danve from Jalna, which went to the polls on April 23. Shiv Sena leaders say Danve actively worked for his son-in-law Harshvardhan Jadhav, who is contesting as an Independent from Aurangabad. Before he broke away from the Shiv Sena, Jadhav was one of the prominent leaders of the Maratha agitation is expected to garner votes from the community to the disadvantage of four-time Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire.

The Shiv Sena is facing a tough battle from AIMIM’s Imtiaz Jaleel in Aurangabad who is banking on the Muslims, who account for around 30 per cent of the population.

According to reports, Khaire complained to BJP president Amit Shah against Danve for allegedly working for Jadhav.

Sources in both the Shiv Sena and the BJP say they will be taking stock of the situation after the elections.