BJP likely to send alliance proposal to Sena for bypolls

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to send an alliance proposal to the Shiv Sena for the upcoming Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha bypolls and Palus-Kadegaon Assembly bypoll. It might urge the Sena not to contest these elections.

The Election Commission (EC) of India declared the bypolls for these three constituencies on May 28. BJP MP Nana Patole from Bhandara-Gondia quit the party and joined Congress and may not contest the elections but he will fight to defeat BJP candidate. He is constantly slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis government. The bypoll was announced due to the death of BJP MP Chintaman Vanaga. Hence the party may field tribal minister Vishnu Savara.

Though the Sena has declared that it will go solo in the upcoming elections, the CM has adopted a strategy of wooing the Sena into an alliance. Victory in these bypolls is important for Mr Fadnavis, otherwise leadership and performance of his government is likely to be questioned. So he will try for an alliance with the Sena or urge it to support the Bharatiya Janata Party by not contesting these bypolls.

The Sena has a problem of strong candidate in Bhandara-Gondia and the decision will depend upon the candidate fielded by the alliance of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party. The Shiv Sena is strong in the Thane-Palghar districts and if the BJP fields Mr Savara, the Sena may contest this seat, said party sources. In Palus, Congress MLA Patangrao Kadam’s son Vishwajit is likely tocontest the election.

Shiv Sena’s strategy is to cause as much damage to the BJP.