Will BJP spare local constituency for Shiv Sena in LS polls?

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The election atmosphere is gripping all over the country. The code of conduct for Lok Sabha (LS) elections will be implemented anytime this month. However, the presence of the union home minister Amit Shah to address the public meeting in the city has developed an insecurity amongst the leaders of the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. They fear losing the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar constituency to BJP. Hence as a preventive action, a delegation of Shiv Sena led by the guardian minister Sandeepan Bhumre met Shah and requested to spare the local constituency for them on Tuesday.

Shah was in the city to address a public meeting at MSM Ground on Tuesday evening. Bhumre informed the media persons that during the discussion, he brought to the notice of the union home minister that the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar constituency remained a bastion of Shiv Sena every time. Hence the constituency should spared for them so that they could nominate a Sena candidate from here.

According to sources, the BJP has geared up to nominate its candidate from the local constituency. Hence the Sena leaders fear losing their rightful constituency.

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According to party sources, “In the negotiation over seat-sharing in Marathwada, the BJP is trying to get the local constituency in its share. Hence the state and local BJP leaders held late-night meetings in the presence of Amit Shah while he was in the city. The meetings discussed different aspects including strengthening and creating domination of the party.”

Presently, the political situation in the state has changed completely. Presently, the BJP has its elected candidates in Jalna, Beed, Latur, and Nanded constituencies. The BJP has focussed on grabbing all eight seats from Marathwada for LS polls. It has vowed to win at least six seats from the region. In this scenario, the meetings were held late in the night.

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The meeting with Amit Shah saw the presence of the deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Pankaja Munde, union minister of state (finance) Dr Bhagwat Karad, union minister of state (railway) Raosaheb Danve and Vijaya Rahatkar. The meeting lasted till 2 am.

“The BJP has made up its mind to contest the election from the local constituency. Besides, the meeting also discussed nominating BJP candidates from the constituencies especially where Amit Shah is and will be holding public meetings,” said the sources.

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Responsibility on DyCM

It is learned that the responsibility of getting BJP candidates elected from different constituencies of Marathwada, Vidarbha, and Khandesh regions has been awarded to Fadnavis. He has been told to resolve the seat-sharing issue amicably without hurting the sentiments of MahaYuti’s leaders like chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. However, the majority of those present in the meeting stressed contesting maximum seats on ‘Lotus’ flower symbol in the region and the state, said the sources.