Maharashtra: Shiv Sena strongholds under BJP’s radar

After successfully carrying out Operation Lotus in Maharashtra by luring Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde led rebels, the BJP has decided to launch similar exercise in Shiv Sena strongholds across the state in a bid to win the seats won by the saffron party in the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections held in 2019. As a part of its recently announced Mission 45, the union minister of state for home Ajaykumar, whose son was arrested in connection with the death of agitating farmers in Uttar Pradesh, will be on his three visit from August 7 in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, the traditional bastions of Shiv Sena, to increase BJP's presence and there by win the Lok Sabha and assembly polls defeating Thackeray led Shiv Sena. The Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha was won by Shiv Sena leader Vinay Raut who has remained with the Thackeray faction but was removed from the post of parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha.

Despite the recent break up, Thackeray faction enjoys a sizable presence in Mumbai, Konkan region, Marathwada and parts of western Maharashtra. BJP proposes to consolidate their position in these regions to checkmate the Thackeray faction.

BJP, which had won 23 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections, is focusing on 16 of the total 18 seats won by Shiv Sena and other parties to increase its tally to 45 seats of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the state. The party proposes to deploy full time workers and send activists from various parts in these 16 constituencies for its consolidation ahead of next elections. Incidentally, of the 18 MPs, 12 MPs have already joined the Shinde camp so that BJP will now have to accommodate them in seat sharing arrangement.

A senior state BJP leader told the Free Press Journal, ‘’Th party will make definite inroads in the constituencies held by Thackeray faction ahead of the next general elections. Apart of interactions with the people, the union minister will hold meeting with the party cadre during his three day visit.’’ He said that so far former ministers Ashish Shelar, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, legislator Nitesh Rane, former MLA Pramod Jathar and former MP Nilesh Rane have already visited these two districts to line up organisational works.