MUMBAI: Though the Shiv Sena has tied up with the BJP and both parties have even loaned candidates to each other for a couple of seats, the spat between the alliance partners in the Mumbai North East constituency is unlikely to get over soon.
Madha in Western Maharashtra and Mumbai North East are the only two constituencies where the BJP hasn’t declared its candidate yet. In Madha, the party has a problem of plenty and is weighing its options before taking a decision. That is not the case in Mumbai North East. While some BJP insiders are confident that sitting MP Kirit Somaiya will get another chance, the Shiv Sena appears determined not to let it happen.
The Shiv Sena MLA from Bhandup Sunil Raut on Thursday came out openly against Somaiya, declaring that he would contest the election as an independent if the BJP insists on Somaiya as its candidate from the Mumbai North East seat. Somaiya had led the BJP campaign against the Shiv Sena during the fight for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2017. Among several other allegations, Somaiya had accused Thackeray family members of involvement in corruption in the BMC. It probably hit a raw nerve, which is why the Sena had opposed Somaiya’s candidature from the day the alliance was announced.
The constituency is predominantly ‘Gujarati’ in composition and hence the BJP is confident of victory. However, the constituency has large Marathi pockets controlled by the Sena, which are crucial for victory. Hence, the BJP is also contemplating some other prominent Gujarati names for the constituency.
Maharashtra housing minister Prakash Mehta is from the eastern Mumbai suburb of Ghatkopar which is part of this constituency. Pravin Cheda, who was leader of the opposition in the BMC, had recently returned to the BJP fold. He too is from Ghatkopar. Manoja Kotak, who is the BJP’s leader of the house in the BMC, too was being discussed as a probable candidate for the seat. However, the party leadership is in favor of Somaiya who has put up a great performance as an MP in the constituency over the past five years.
Against this backdrop, when Somaiya tried to approach Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday, he was bluntly told that he was unwelcome at Matoshree, the Thackeray residence. Somaiya also tried to meet Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut. However, his request for a meeting was declined even though both the leaders are from the same suburb of Mulund, said a party insider.
Some Somaiya loyalists are still hopeful. They say if Shiv Sena leaders are hurt due to Somaiya’s expletives against the Thackerays, BJP workers too can adopt a similar stand over Thackeray’s ‘Chowkidar chor hain’ remark in January this year.