Shiv Sena to contest Gujarat polls, keen to have Hardik in its camp

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Thursday announced that it was set to contest the Gujarat legislative assembly elections scheduled for December.

The move stems largely from Matoshree's growing fear that the BJP is fast losing its ground in the wake of the demonetisation-GST "fiasco" and that the Sena will have to pay a price for being the NDA ally, said a party veteran. "However, even a diehard Sena loyalist doesn't expect the party to annex seats in Gujarat," he added.

The Sena plans to put up candidates in 50-65 assembly constituencies. Moreover, Matoshree is said to be keen on cosying up to Hardik Patel, the Patidar leader and BJP's arch poll rival in Gujarat, sources said.

Sena spokesperson Anil Desai, MP, is on a tour of Gujarat to assess the popular mood in cities such as Surat and Vadodara, which boast of a good presence of Marathi votes, and also identify probable party candidates.

Sena functionaries Hemraj Shah and Rajul Patel, the party's Gujarati faces, are accompanying Desai on his Gujarat tour, sources said. The Sena had not contested the 2012 Gujarat polls, saying that it was going to keep away from elections to avoid a division of Hindutva votes.

Talking to mediapersons, Desai said it was for Patel to decide on whether to team up with the Sena in the upcoming polls. "The Congress party is trying to keep Patel on its side. The party has, according to reports, even accepted five of the six demands of Patel. Let Patel take the decision," said Desai. "The Sena is in the poll fray on its own steam. We are not going to pursue any leader or political outfit in Gujarat," he added.

A BJP MLA from Maharashtra poured ridicule on the Sena's Gujarat sojourn. "They hardly have any presence in Gujarat. They are doing this only to embarrass us. If Uddhav Thackeray is worried that the BJP's waning popularity will affect the Sena, then he should, without even a minute's delay, quit the Maharashtra government. However, they will not resign as they want to stick to power."

Thackeray has for long been hemming and hawing on whether or not to quit the Devendra Fadnavis regime. NCP chief Sharad Pawar's statement on Wednesday that Thackeray had sought his advice on the issue assumes significance. A NCP strategist said the Sena may not eventually leave the Fadnavis government. "The Sena's decision to contest the Gujarat elections is only to give hiccups to the BJP," he said.

A Sena veteran said quitting office may trigger fresh problems for Thackeray. "Matoshree fears large-scale unrest in the party."

Much depends on whether Matoshree succeeds in winning over Patel, said party watchers. Patel had called on Thackeray at Matoshree in February this year. Thackeray had then stated that the Sena would contest in Gujarat and that Patel would be the party's face for the polls. However, the Sena seems to be ploughing a lonely furrow in Gujarat, at least for now.