Sena hits BJP where it hurts most

The Shiv Sena’s stand of not supporting its ally in the council elections has cost the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dear, with its candidate in the Konkan graduate constituency Sanjay Kelkar going down to Nationalist Congress Party’s young Niranjan Davkhare. The loss is being seen as the Sena’s way of exacting revenge of the alleged backstabbing by the ally earlier during the Thane municipal corporation’s mayoral elections.

Though both candidates from the Mumbai graduate and teachers constituencies swept clean their nearest rival, it was a tough fight in the Konkan constituency, where Niranjan, son of deputy chairman of the legislative council Vasant Davkhare defeated BJP’s Kelkar by 4968 votes.

Shiv Sena’s Deepak Sawant defeated NCP-supported Rajesh Teke and the Congress candidate by 12,744 votes in the Mumbai graduate constituency. Surendra Srivastava of the Loksatta party could manage only 376 votes. Also, Kapil Patil of Lok Bharti defeated BJP rival Manisha Kayande by 9,138 votes in the Mumbai’s teachers constituency. The results of all four seats were announced on Wednesday.

The Sena and the BJP have been at loggerheads in the council elections held in four graduate and teachers constituencies on Monday. Shiv Sena had supported BJP rival Manisha Kayande in Mumbai teacher’s constituency, resulting in the humiliating defeat of Sharad Yadav, BJP’s official candidate.

The tit-for-tat attitude was resorted to by the Sena after BJP stood by a rebel of the Teacher’s Democratic Front, the teachers organisation controlled by Sena in the Nashik teachers constituency.

Another reason  for Shiv Sena to help the candidate fighting against the candidate of its ally was the clashes between the two parties in Thane municipal corporation elections held early this year. Sena  leaders belives that BJP played a spoilsport in Thane mayoral election to keep the former away from the chairmanship of the standing committee. 

A Sena corporator went missing and two others were on the verge of remaining abstain in the Mayoral election. This led to the chaos in the mayoral elections and subsequent legal battle. Sena firmly believes that BJP was responsible for the ruckus and Sanjay Kelkar played an important role in the gameplan.