[ad_1]
The Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party is very upset with its coalition partner, Shiv Sena, for declaring that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is more popular than Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
BJP sources said that the party leaders were upset for two reasons – one, that Shinde Sena completely hid them from the full-page advertisement, and second, Shinde’s claims that Shinde was ahead of Fadnavis in the race for the post of Chief Minister.
BJP President Chandrashekhar Pawankul said, “These ads and polls mean nothing to us. At the end of the day what matters is what people think and who they vote for in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.”
Dealing cautiously, he added, “Shiv Sena and BJP are allies. Shinde gets leadership at the head of the state. We do not consider anyone big or small. Moreover, as far as Fadnavis is concerned, everyone knows his popularity and managerial ability.” as CM (2014-2019). Now as DyCM”.
The outrage over the fact that Fadnavis canceled his outreach program – Sarkar Appla Dari – can be gauged with Shinde in Kolhapur on Tuesday. Officially, Vadnavis’ office said he was ill and was advised not to travel for at least three days.
The development also saw the opposition intensify their attack on Shinde and flank around Fadnavis. Bolstered by the opposition’s attack on Shinde, BJP leaders in the state said Shinde’s attempt to project himself as more popular than Fadnavis had backfired.
Differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Shinde have come to light recently with local BJP leaders and workers passing a resolution not to appoint Shrikant Shinde as a candidate for the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat. The decision on Shrikant Shinde, which has the support of senior BJP leaders in the state, was seen as a move to tame Shinde Sena’s growing power ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Opposition Leader in the State Legislative Assembly, Pravin Dharkar, said, “Every party has the right to promote itself. But you don’t get taller by showing a small person.”
The Shinde Sena advertisement claims that 26.1% of people preferred Shinde as CM, while 23.2% preferred Fadnavis as CM.
Downplaying the issue, BJP leader and MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar said, “Shiv Sena has given the announcement based on some TV polls. An earlier newspaper poll showed that BJP was ahead and would win 130 to 135 seats in the assembly polls.”
According to Bhatkhalkar, Fadnavis himself announced that Shiv Sena and BJP will contest all elections together as allies under Shinde in 2024.
BJP and Shiv Sena’s alliance was formed on June 30 last year. Apart from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, there are 18 ministers – nine each from the BJP and Shiv Sena – in the cabinet.
With the first anniversary of the Shinde-Fadnavis government on 30 June, some course correction in government regarding the “poor performance” of the Shinde ministers was discussed behind closed doors. The ‘unsatisfactory’ performance of the five Shinde Group ministers – Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, Sandeban Bhumri, Gulaprao Patel and Sanjay Rathod was discussed. Apart from this, it was alleged that some of the MPs sitting in the Shinde camp were eager to contest the lotus symbol of the BJP in the 2024 elections.
Amid these developments and discussions, Shinde’s challenge to keep all 40 MLAs and 13 MPs together doubled. Secondly, the BJP’s “big brother stance” regarding polling strategy did not go over well within Shinde’s faction.
Last week, he put the BJP in charge of all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies and 288 constituencies. All these officials belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A senior BJP strategist, who requested anonymity, said, “With the announcement, Shinde is trying to assert his leadership in Maharashtra. He wants to show that the BJP may be bigger and more powerful, but it will require his support in the 2024 polls.”
On its own, the BJP since its formation has not won more than 23 seats out of 48 in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the assembly polls, the BJP’s highest tally is 122 out of 288 seats in the 2014 polls. In the 2019 assembly polls The Bharatiya Janata Party won 105 seats.
Without the alliance, the BJP believes that it will not be able to pass 42 seats in the Lok Sabha and 200 seats in the assembly polls on its own.
According to a source, “When Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in Mumbai last month, some state leaders brought it to his attention how the Shinde faction was proving to be a liability due to the ‘poor performance’ of his ministers. Shinde was not able to weaken Uddhav Thackeray’s hold among the Sainiks at the grassroots level. “. According to the senior staffer, “Shah said the BJP was in power in Maharashtra because of Shinde. The BJP can expel Maha Vikas Agadi (MVA) for the Shinde mutiny.”
[ad_2]
