Maharashtra polls: Dispute with smaller allies may cost MVA 7 seats

Mumbai: While the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is grappling with differences among its three main partners – Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) – over seat sharing and selection of candidates for the upcoming assembly polls, disputes with smaller allies in the alliance like the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) may hamper its electoral prospects in at least seven seats. The disputes have arisen owing to efforts by top MVA leaders to settle scores with the smaller allies, said insiders.

The PWP has only one sitting MLA in Shyamsunder Shinde from the Loha constituency in Nanded district. But it has a strong base in Raigad district, especially in the assembly segments of Alibag, Pen, Uran and Panvel. It also has a substantial presence in the Sangola assembly constituency in Solapur district.

Though the PWP had demanded these six seats in talks with the MVA and subsequently declared candidates for all of them, Shiv Sena (UBT) too went ahead and declared candidates for the seats.

In Alibag, Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Surendra Mhatre while PWP has fielded Chitralekha Patil. In Pen, PWP has fielded Atul Mhatre while Sena (UBT) has fielded Prasad Bhoir. In Uran, PWP has fielded Pritam Patil while Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Manohar Bhoir, whereas in Panvel, PWP has fielded Balaram Patil while Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Leena Garad. Similarly, in Sangola, PWP has fielded Babasaheb Deshmukh while the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate is Deepak Salunkhe, whereas in Loha, PWP has fielded its sitting MLA Shyamsunder Shinde while Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Eknath Pawar.

The main reason behind Shiv Sena (UBT) fielding candidates in all six seats is the defeat of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Anant Geete during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, said sources.

“Party chief Uddhav Thackeray felt that Geete was defeated by the NCP’s Sunil Tatkare because the PWP leadership did not back him enough. This is why he denied support to the PWP general secretary Jayant Patil during the legislative council elections, leading to his defeat. He also decided to field candidates in seats demanded by the PWP in the assembly polls for the same reason,” said a party leader.

PWP leader Raju Korde said he was hopeful of working out a seat-sharing arrangement with Shiv Sena (UBT) for the Raigad and Sangola seats. “During the Lok Sabha polls, we helped Shiv Sena (UBT) in Raigad and Mumbai south central. Now, they should consider our claim on seats,” said Korde.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said his party would consider the claims of PWP on some seats in Raigad.

Meanwhile, the Congress has locked horns with CPI (M), another MVA partner, in the Solapur city central constituency. Though the opposition alliance has ceded the Dahanu seat to the CPI (M) sitting MLA Vinod Nikole and the Kalvan seat in Nashik to former CPI (M) MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit, in the Solapur city central seat, the Congress has named Chetan Narote as its candidate. Former MLA Narsayya Adam, who has a strong base, is the CPI (M) nominee from the seat.

“I will wait till November 4. If Congress does not withdraw its candidate, I will expose the people who conspired against me,” Adam told HT.

Another party functionary said that Narote, the Congress nominee, is a close aide of MP Praniti Shinde. “She came to us for support during her Lok Sabha campaign. But now, her aide has been given a ticket. Adam has spoken with Sharad Pawar and we are hopeful that he will resolve the tangle,” he said.