BELAGAVI: The clash between arch rivals BJP and Congress will be a humdinger in the forthcoming Belagavi Lok Sabha bypoll, as a large chunk of Marathi votes which usually swing in favour of the BJP, likely to split, with the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) keen on fielding a consensus candidate. Riding on back-to-back landslide victories in the last two general elections, the BJP is brashly confident of retaining the seat. But things may not be easy for the ruling party this time, given the changing political equations with the possible entry of a Sena-MES candidate.
MES leader and former MLA Manohar Kinekar said, “We will have one candidate either from MES or Sena. MES is a popular outfit in the region and will certainly contest the bypoll with Sena’s support. Talks are on with Sena.”
For the past few months, the BJP government in Karnataka and Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra have been at loggerheads over the vexed boundary dispute, leading to violence and tension on the border.
Interestingly, it will be a maiden entry for the MES and Shiv Sena in the Belagavi bypoll, as the two pro-Maharashtra outfits have traditionally supported the BJP in all elections.
A large number of Marathi votes in the assembly segments of Belagavi North, Belagavi South and Belagavi Rural (Belagavi LS seat has eight assembly segments) which were in the BJP’s kitty by default, will now split between BJP and MES-Sena. Congress could eventually gain from the possible division of votes. Despite all odds, BJP leaders are confident of the party registering its fifth straight win in the ensuing bypoll.