The problems within Mahyuti do not seem to be ending. After sorting out candidate nominations just two days before deadline for filing nominations, new problems are emerging in the alliance.
Discontent has arisen among local BJP workers after Shiv Sena’s Naresh Mhaske was given a ticket for the Thane Lok Sabha constituency. After BJP office-bearers submitted their resignations in Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhayandar, the wave has now reached Thane. However, BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar and MLC Niranjan Davkhare pacified the disgruntled BJP workers, temporarily calming the storm of resignations. Nevertheless, 63 BJP leaders from the Ovala-Majiwada Assembly constituency have submitted their resignations demanding that the Shiv sena candidate must contest the election on the BJP's lotus symbol. This internal tussle between BJP and Sena has erupted as Mhaske gears up to file his nomination Friday.
BJP leader Jitendra Madhavi told LokmatTimes.com, “Yesterday around 9 pm, me and many BJP General Secretaries, panel heads, office bearers tendered our resignations. Our main demand is that the Shiv sena candidate should contest from lotus symbol. All our grass root workers were campaigning in full swings, and we expected BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha elections. We will talk to the Thane city President Sanjay Waghule today and put forth our demands.”
Ovala Majiwada Mandal President Adv. Hemant Mhatre, General Secretary Sachin Shingare, District President of Jain Cell Rakesh Jain, Lok Sabha Coordinator of Divyang Vikas Aghadi Dr. Akshay Zodge, Panel Head Mahesh Tajne, President of Medical Cell Dr. Aparna Tajne, Coordinator of North Indian Cell Hira Prasad Roy, Super Warrior, Shakti Kendra Head and Booth Head, along with other office-bearers and workers of the Ovala Majiwada Mandal, have submitted their resignations Thursday evening.
This comes a day after hundreds of BJP workers from Navi Mumbai started a mass resignation drive in protest against Mhaske’s candidature. They wanted BJP leader and former MP Dr. Sanjeev Naik to contest the election from Thane seat. Naik has been keen on contesting the Thane Lok Sabha seat. With this in mind, he had taken the lead in the campaign and covered the entire constituency. However, in the seat-sharing arrangement of the Mahayuti, the Thane seat eventually went to the Shinde Sena, causing resentment among BJP workers, leading to en masse resignations.
Meanwhile, Mhaske is all set to file nomination form Friday. BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, Shiv Sena MLC Ravindra Phatak and NCP leader Anand Paranjape are likely to accompany him.