The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance is now strained before the Maharashtra Assembly polls as the Shiv Sena (UBT) declares non-support of the NCP candidates in Pimpri-Chinchwad. This move was due to anger of seat arrangements where Sena (UBT) was offered no seats in the region.
Sachin Bhosale of Shiv Sena (UBT) said they were dismayed with not having been granted a single seat and asserted that they would not support three NCP candidates in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area. Also, Bharat Bhosale had declared to fight on the Pimpri seat independently with all-out support of his party workers.
The NCP recently declared Rahul Kalate for Chinchwad, Ajit Gavhane for Bhosari and Sulakshana Shilwant for the reserved Pimpri seat. The alliance had not included Shiv Sena (UBT) in its share of the constituencies even though the party claimed to have targeted the Pimpri seat.
Kalate who is contesting for Chinchwad is likely to come up against Shankar Jagtap BJP who is Laxman Jagtap’s brother. In the last election, Kalate secured 1,12,225 votes in total which are 40.34% while Laxman Jagtap got 1,50,723 votes in total, 54.17%. Ajit Gavane is NCP’s candidate of Bhosari constituency will be going up against Mahesh Landge of BJP a two-term strong local wrestler MLA. Landge has been campaigning for several months for the clear cut BJP renomination.
Further fanning the discord, the Shiv Sena (UBT) today threatened Congress against fielding a candidate for the Solapur South assembly constituency over which the Sena has declared a candidate.
The public spat between the two coalition partners indicates that there simmering conflict in the alliance as MVA gears up for the state assembly elections.
