Rift Widens Among Mahayuti Factions After Seat Pact

MUMBAI: Soon after alliance partners of the ruling Mahayuti concluded a hard-bargained seat-sharing formula ahead of the legislative council elections on June 18, a fresh wave of rebellion has hit the ground. Local leaders from at least eight constituencies have openly challenged the choice of candidates, and now it is expected that leaders will spend the next few days dousing fires or putting pressure on each other to persuade rebel candidates to step down.

As observed during the Assembly and civic body elections, in most places the tussle is between BJP and Shiv Sena.

On Sunday, while BJP announced its candidates for the 11 legislative council seats, Shiv Sena fielded candidates from four and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in two constituencies. Seventeen seats of the legislative council are expected to be filled by the local body members in 26 districts.

While BJP and Sena arrived at a consensus over the Aurangabad-Jalna and Nashik seats, with each party putting its candidate in a seat each, rift has arisen over both seats. Even before BJP fielded Suhas Shirsat from Aurangabad-Jalna, former Sena minister Abdul Sattar’s son Samir filed his nomination from the same constituency, with Sattar senior alleging that “big brother BJP has chopped off Sena’s hands and legs, now they will chop Sena’s head in the future”.

In Nashik, BJP’s Ganesh Gite, a confidante of water resources minister Girish Mahajan, has filed his nomination against Shiv Sena candidate Narendra Darade. Gite added fuel to fire by obtaining signatures party corporators on his nomination. Though the state BJP leadership has objected to his move, Gite responsed by saying the same leadership had promised him the seat.

In Konkan, two Shiv Sena MLAs -- Mahendra Dalvi and Bharat Gogawale -- have opposed the candidature of Aniket Tatkare, son of NCP’s state president Sunil Tatkare. Dalvi’s daughter Juilee has filed her nomination as an independent, while Gogawale who is state employment guarantee scheme minister, did not turn up when Tatkare filed his nomination on Monday, despite a party diktat. Gogawale and Dalvi are Tatkare’s arch enemies, as the two parties have fought for clout in Raigad. Gogawale is eyeing the guardian ministership of the district.

In Yavatmal, Mahayuti has fielded Shiv Sena’s former MLC Dushant Chaturvedi, but BJP’s Nitin Bhotala has rebelled against him saying he was told to file the nomination by his party leadership. In Amravati, ruling alliance’s official candidate, former minister of state and BJP leader Pravin Pote Patil is facing rebellion by Sena’s former MLC Viplav Bajoria. After he was denied the candidature from the Parbhani-Hingoli constituency in Marathwada, Bajoria filed his nomination from Amravati. In Satara-Sangli constituency, Shiv Sena leader Tanaji Patil has filed his nomination against ruling alliance candidate and BJP leader Dhairyashil Kadam.

BJP’s Pune district president has filed his nomination from the Pune constituency even though the seat was given to NCP. Alongside, NCP’s Vikram Kakade and Sunil Tingare have filed their nominations, exposing in-fighting within the party, purportedly led by deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar.

NCP MLA Pratap Chikhalikar has declined to work for BJP candidate Amar Rajurkar in Nanded, arguing as NCP has a strong pull in the district, he should have been given a ticket. “We will not work for a BJP candidate and it will be discussed by the party leadership,” he said.

While the in-fighting in the Mahayuti can be detrimental to a larger goal, Mahayuti insiders say the rebels “have the party’s mute support as it gives respective party leaders a bargaining power”.

A Sena leader said, requesting anonymity: “Though Shiv Sena’s Dushant Chaturvedi is the official candidate in Yavatmal, BJP’s Nitin Bhotala has filed his nomination against him. Similarly in Amravati, Shiv Sena’s Viplav Bajoria has rebelled against BJP’s Pravin Pote Patil. The bargaining between the two parties for withdrawal would be in exchange of these neighboring constituencies.”

The spat between the two parties is also an illustration of each party’s ambition to expand its base at local level. “The BJP is expected to go solo in the 2029 general elections and is therefore out to strengthen its base at the grassroots, sometimes at the cost of its allies. Shiv Sena is also fighting for its existence,” said a BJP leader.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said in Thane on Monday, “The last day of withdrawing nominations is June 4. Mahayuti leaders will deliberate upon it and ensure that the nominations of the rebels are withdrawn.”

Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times’ Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra government’s administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others.Read More