Maharashtra polls: Mahayuti allies bicker, but impact on results unlikely

Mumbai: Like in the case of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, smaller parties in the Mahayuti feel they have been given a rough deal by the main parties in the alliance.

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde have conceded four and three seats respectively to smaller allies. The BJP has conceded the Kalina seat to the Republican Party of India (Athawle) [RPI(A)]; Badnera to Yuva Swabhimani Paksha (YSP); Shahuwadi to Jan Surajya Shakti (JSS); and Gangakhed to Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP). Similarly, Shiv Sena has conceded the Dharavi seat to RPI (A), Hatkanangale to JSS and Shirol to Rajarshee Shahu Vikas Aghadi (RSVA). But the allies are disgruntled for different reasons.

RPI (A) leaders claim that BJP and Shiv Sena have fielded candidates on their own symbol in the two seats allocated to the party and the issue will be taken up in the coordination meeting following the election.

“Both Rajesh Khandare in Dharavi and Amarjeet Singh in Kalina have filed nomination papers as RPI (A) candidates as well as on behalf of their original parties,” said Avinash Mahatekar, national general secretary, RPI (A). Khandare is from Shiv Sena while Singh is from the BJP. “We realised this very late. As such, they cannot be called our candidates. This has happened in the past too,” he added.

The BJP has conceded one seat to the Mahadev Jankar-led RSP, as the RSP sitting MLA from Gangakhed, Ratnakar Gutte, has been renominated as the Mahayuti candidate. He has also been mentioned in the BJP’s official list of candidates.

The party, however, has fielded candidates in 119 seats as Jankar is disillusioned with the treatment meted out by the BJP, and has decided to opt out of the Mahayuti alliance.

“We were neither called for (seat-sharing) meetings, nor contacted on the phone. The BJP has used smaller allies during their need and we are no exception to it,” Jankar told HT. His party filed 273 nominations, of which 119 remain in the fray after scrutiny, he noted, adding, “Though we have no alliance with the BJP, they have extended support to us in Gangakhed and we have no reason to refuse it.”

The 119 RSP candidates will cut into Mahayuti votes in some cases and damage MVA prospects in others, he noted.

According to BJP leaders, both the BJP and Shiv Sena have extended support to allies in seats where they are strong.

“Be it JSS in Kolhapur or YSP in Badnera, we have conceded those seats to them which they hold currently, in lieu of their support to the government over the past two and half years. We have also decided to back the sitting RSP MLA in Gangakhed, Ratnakar Gutte, to show that we are with the Dhangar community,” said a BJP leader requesting anonymity.

Though the allies are not very happy with Mahayuti, this is unlikely to have a significant impact on the poll outcome, said insiders in the BJP and Shiv Sena.