Pune: Extensive deliberations and detailed discussions between the state leadership of the BJP and prominent leaders of the party in western Maharashtra, especially in Ajit Pawar’s bastion of Pune district, have resulted in the party seriously thinking of restricting Ajit Pawar’s NCP to only rural areas of the Pune district and keeping most of the urban constituencies for themselves. The party has not formally and finally decided this but is moving in the direction towards implementing this type of seat-sharing formula.
Consistent criticism in various publications affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) regarding the BJP taking along Ajit Pawar in the government and the resentment within the BJP and RSS family over Ajit Pawar’s NCP being given prominent portfolios in the Mahayuti government has pushed the BJP to think about this issue. Many voices directly being raised by the activists working with some sitting BJP MLAs from Pune district almost forced the BJP leadership to take a serious view regarding what to do in the forthcoming assembly polls. While the top leadership of the state BJP and the NCP leadership have put up a picture before the media of being cordial and friendly partners, the activists and even many MLAs or aspirants for MLA tickets from both sides are not able to gel with each other.
This has resulted in social media buzzing with videos of activists blaming and targeting each other, especially in Western Maharashtra and places like Junnar in Pune district where Ajit Pawar was actively campaigning last week. The war of words between BJP’s Asha Buchke and NCP (AP) MLA Amol Mitkari went viral last week as both of them said that they could easily fight elections and do better without an alliance in place.
“The BJP should once and for all decide whether they want an alliance with us. The leaders in Mumbai and New Delhi are so friendly with our leader Ajitdada Pawar and we have these junior leaders attacking us every day. This is not acceptable to us. We are willing to fight alone,” said Mitkari. Reacting to Mitkari, former BJP MLA Jagdish Mulik got aggressive and launched a verbal attack on Mitkari last week. On Monday, Mulik also targeted NCP MLA Sunil Tingre who represented Wadgaon Sheri constituency.
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A senior BJP leader from Pune on condition of anonymity told the FPJ on Monday that the leadership of the BJP has suggested a formula to the party members in a closed door meeting last week that the seat sharing formula may be designed in such a way that the NCP would get more prominence in the rural parts of various districts including Pune and the BJP would retain urban constituencies. But in the basic talks over this formula the NCP has insisted that it wants to retain the seats that it won in the 2019 polls. If that is to be adopted a seat like Wadgaon Sheri which is now part of the extended Pune city’s eastern part, could perhaps be kept with the NCP.
