Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: There is a tug of war between BJP and Shiv Sena Shinde faction leaders over Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) Lok Sabha seat. BJP office-bearers and leaders visited Mumbai and Delhi since March 6, to get this seat in the negotiations of Mahayuti.
The party leaders, office bearers along with aspirants are desperate as the picture of the candidature is still not clear. It was clear that the BJP would contest this seat for the first time after union Home Minister Amit Shah's meeting. Despite this, Shiv Sena's Shinde group has claimed that they would contest this seat for ten days.
This has created uneasiness in the BJP. There has been an increase in anxiety among office bearers and workers along with aspiring candidates of BJP.
The BJP office bearers are not ready to say anything about what will happen in the negotiation of the seat, while the Shinde group is claiming the seat every day.
The BJP office bearers met the seniors and presented the party’s work done since last year, social equation and other aspects. If the Shinde group gets the seat, it will have a big impact on the BJP's organisational structure.
The Shinde group has not tried to strengthen the constituencies. BJP leaders feel that their (Shinde group) trust is only in the BJP network.
Upset BJP office-bearers and leaders expressing doubts about what strength workers would work if the seat goes to the Shinde group. There are three MLAs of Shinde group in the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency while BJP has two MLAs. The Shinde faction does not have a single minister in the constituency, while the BJP has two ministers- one union Minister of State in the centre and another minister in the State. The BJP has been working in the constituency for at least a year with an eye on the election, while the Shinde faction is also making the same claim.
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No comment from BJP
No one from the BJP is making comments about the Shinde group’s aggressiveness over seat demand. There is no way to know why the BJP is so quiet, or what exactly is hidden in their silence. It is being discussed in political circles that it either means that they would get a seat or another meaning is that the seat will go to the Shinde group.
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Notification for Lok Sabha Constituency Election will issued on April 19 (Thursday). The notification will be issued in one month from today. Therefore, there is a discussion going on about whether the decision on this seat is delayed till the last moment or not. If the problem is solved this week, the talks for negotiations are likely to continue until the dawn of April.