Negotiations between the allies had hit a roadblock after the BJP, which has been winning in Guhagar since 1977, showed unwillingness to hand it over to the Sena.
The Shiv Sena, at last, seems to have got its way. A reluctant Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has agreed to give up its claim on the Guhagar assembly seat for Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, said a source on Wednesday. The saffron alliance is now set to give the finishing touches to its seat-sharing pact for the October 13 assembly polls, he added.
Negotiations between the allies had hit a roadblock after the BJP, which has been winning in Guhagar since 1977, showed unwillingness to hand it over to the Sena. The latter needed the seat for Kadam, the leader of opposition in the assembly, who lost his traditional constituency, Khed, because of the delimitation.
With the BJP playing hard ball, the Sena leaders “triggered panic”, saying that Kadam, if denied the seat, would join the NCP or the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. With less than a month to go for the polls, Kadam’s defection would not only harm the alliance, but would also divert the focus of the polls from the real issues, they said.
The ‘threat’ made the BJP relent. With Guhagar considered a safe seat for the saffron alliance, the party agreed to give it up to its partner, said the source. Perhaps, senior leader LK Advani, who had been approached by the Sena leaders for help, too had a role in settling things amicably.
A BJP leader, however, denied that the party had given up its claim on Guhagar. He admitted though that the Sena had expressed fears over Kadam’s possible revolt, and the widespread criticism that might follow in its wake.
A Sena official gave credence to the theory of Kadam’s possible revolt. “Uddhavji (Thackeray) had a long meeting with Kadam at the Matoshree on Tuesday. The latter was the only Sena leader absent at the recent party rally in Goregaon. It had set alarm bells ringing,” he said.
The assembly seat in coastal Konkan region is currently represented by party’s Vinay Natu in the House. Sena is likely to offer Ghatkopar (w) seat in suburban Mumbai to BJP in exchange for the Guhagar seat, the sources said.
The speculation over Kadam’s revolt is making rounds for the past two years after he offered to step down from his post to pave way for other leaders. He had however said that he was a true Shivsainik and cannot even think of leaving the party.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}