Maharashtra bypolls: Tough challenge for BJP as parties stand united against it

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing tough challenge in all three seats going to bypolls later this month as major players have come together against the ruling party.

The battle has gotten worse for the BJP after the Congress turned down its offer to exchange support on two seats. The Shiv Sena extended its support to Congress in the Assembly bypolls in Palus-Kadegaon.

The results of bypolls for Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha constituencies and Palus-Kadesgaon will be declared on May 31. After the last day for filing nominations, the parties are now engaging in strategy to convince other parties to withdraw nominations to ensure victories of their own candidates.

The Palghar bypolls is likely to be a multi-corner fight as the Shiv Sena and Vasai MLA Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) are hell bent on fighting the election posing as serious threat to BJP candidate Rajendra Gavit.

The BJP, on Thursday, offered Congress to exchange support in Palghar in lieu of withdrawal of their candidate in Palus-Kadegaon. There was no response from Congress to the offer.

“No direct offer came to me and even if it had, there is no question of even thinking about it,” said state Congress chief Ashok Chavan.

“We wanted Vishwajit Kadam, Congress candidate in Palus-Kadegaon bypolls to be elected unopposed as it has been the culture of our state to not field a candidate if the seat was vacated due to the death of any senior politician. We would have withdrawn our candidate Sangaramsinh Deshmukh against Vishwajit [son of senior Congress leader Patangrao Kadam, who died in March] had Congress helped us in Palghar. There is no question of any such exchange now,” said water resources minister and senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan.

On the contrary, the Congress is engaged in garnering support from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) by convincing it to withdraw its candidate.

The BVA, which has three sitting MLAs in the six Assembly constituencies forming the LS constituency, is firm on fighting the polls.

“We will withdraw our candidate to support the BJP only if all other major parties withdraw from the fray. We will fight the polls if it is not going to be an unopposed election of BJP candidate,” said Kshitij Thakur, BVA MLA from Nalasopara.

The BVA is banking on three assembly segments it holds, while the Shiv Sena enjoys stronghold in Palghar and BJP in Dahanu and Vikramgad with sizable tribal voters.

Congress is aiming for tribal and minority votes while the BJP is banking on urban and tribal votes. The Sena has its presence in Palghar and parts of Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara.

In Bhandara-Gondia, Congress has extended its support to NCP candidate Madhukar Kukde – close confidante of former union minister Praful Patel.