BJP backstabbed us, says Sena

The mayoral elections in Nashik seem to have caused a rift of sorts between the saffron partners, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). On Thursday, BJP issued a whip to its corporators of NMC to vote in favour of MNS candidate Yatin Wagh for the mayor’s post. The Sena leadership, which was not happy with BJP’s decision, termed it as an act of backstabbing by BJP.
“We have been together from last 24 years. We had even filed the nominations for the mayor’s and deputy mayor’s post together, but the BJP backstabbed us at the last mimute,” said Nashik Sena spokesperson Arvind Sawant, while mentioning that BJP did not stick to the alliance dharma.

Irked with the BJP’s move to support MNS, the Sena corporators not only decided to abstain from the election procedure but boycotted the corporation house.

While denying the charge, BJP state unit president Sudhir Munguntiwar reminded the Sena that the two parties had fought the Nashik civic elections separately, and “hence there is no question of betrayal”. Lending support to the MNS was equivalent to respecting the mandate, Munguntiwar added.