MUMBAI: Unease is brewing within the BJP and speculations are rife that at least a dozen of party MLAs are likely to quit the party along with a prominent Rajya Sabha MP.
The BJP had inducted several leaders from the Congress as well as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
During that period both the parties had claimed that several BJP leaders too are in touch with them.
Now, that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state is completing a week they are planning to give a blow to the BJP, it is being said.
Sources from Congress also said that these MLAs are contemplating the idea of resigning and facing elections once again are just awaiting a green signal from the Congress-NCP.
State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat too fanned the speculation saying that it is the law of nature that the bigger the water bulges during high tide it recedes to the same extent during low tide.
“It appears that BJP’s low tide has started. We too feel the pain of old guard being sidelined within the BJP,” he further said fanning the speculation.
NPC’s Jayant Patil however, said that his party won’t engage in any such activities just to save or topple any government.
“If anyone wants to join our party we shall properly discuss the issue and decide about it. While we won’t engage in any such act for the sake of it, we shall welcome anyone on the local level after taking into confidence local leadership,” Patil said.
“Many of those who deserted us are restless. They are in touch. But, we won’t take any decision in haste. We shall take the decision when we feel is the right time,” he added.
BJP leader Adv Ashish Shelar however, refuted the claims that the BJP MLAs are on verge of quitting the party.
“These are rumors being spread by MVA leaders to hide their failure. They are not being able to allocate portfolios even to six ministers and are talking of 12 BJP MLAs quitting the party,” Shelar said.
The speculations had started earlier this week after row over party leader Pankaja Munde’s facebook post.
While she received support from several BJP leaders, some OBC leader today gathered at senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse’s residence to show solidarity.
Khadse had said that Pankaja Munde and his daughter Rajni Khadse lost assembly elections due to some elements within the party.
While some of the OBC leaders of BJP in the state feel dejected, former minister Chandrashekhar Bawnkule, who is from OBC community himself and didn’t get ticket this assembly election, however, has said that the party has a very strong base among OBC communities and have supported the leadership from the community to flourish.