BJP to field giant-killer Irani in Pawar bastion?
BJP is leaving no stone unturned to better its chances for the 2024 Baramati Lok Sabha seat by planning to field a strong candidate against NCP’s Supriya Sule in party patriarch Sharad Pawar’s bastion. There is strong buzz in the Pune and Baramati political circles that Union Minister Smriti Irani could be the possible pick. After defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019, the giant killer may be chosen by the party to contest against NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter. For the BJP, MLA Rahul Kul – who won in Daud assembly seat in 2019 by a 6,000-vote majority against NCP’s Ramesh Thorat – will prove instrumental in furthering BJP’s reach in Baramati.
NCP hopes for swing in 40 assembly seats
Poll momentum is gaining traction within a demoralised NCP for the upcoming state assembly elections in 2024. With 54 MLAs presently, the NCP is hoping to get 30 more legislators as per its internal survey. With the aim of 85-MLA strong NCP in the state assembly, the party looks for a swing in 40 seats ruled by Eknath Shinde-backed Shiv Sena MLAs. These MLAs had won against NCP candidates with victory margins vary between 500 to 5,000 votes. The split in Shiv Sena votes between Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidates and Eknath Shinde camp candidates will pave the way for the NCP candidates, the latter party believes.
For BJP, roads to BMC not too smooth
BJP toppled the Uddhav Thackeray regime ahead of the BMC polls. Close to striking power in the BMC in 2017, BJP was outsmarted by Shiv Sena in the last leg. Chasing BMC power, BJP began by toppling the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena in BMC. The saffron camp also poached MLAs and cadre from Shiv Sena as well as from the formations of Eknath Shinde – hoping it will help them get closer to winning BMC. But the scene is different. A BJP insider says that there are 55 Sena strongholds where no party including the BJP can beat them. Many Shiv Sena leaders may have defected to BJP, but its cadre is intact under Uddhav.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com