New Delhi: In a big jolt, the BJP has dropped its ‘most active MP’ Kirit Somaiya and picked its young Mumbai corporator, Manoj Kotak (44), to contest from his Mumbai North East seat. Dropping of Somaiya is seen as a big victory of the Shiv Sena which had insisted on the BJP selecting anybody else for the seat.
It was a difficult choice for the BJP as Somaiya had won the seat by over three lakh votes. In fact, Sena MLA Sunil Raut had even declared last week that he will contest as an independent, if former Mumbai BJP chief Somaiya is fielded.
The Sena’s animosity is anchored in Somaiya’s veiled reference to its chief Uddhav Thackeray as ‘’the mafia don of Bandra.’’ Ever since, the Sena had been baying for his blood. Sensing that he was in trouble, Somaiya had reportedly requested an appointment with Uddhav Thackeray to make amends but was denied one.
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However, education minister Vinod Tawde and BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari insisted it was a decision taken by the party’s parliamentary board after assessing the ground realities. Bhandari also put the onus of the decision on party’s national president Amit Shah.
The criteria for selection of candidates is the prerogative of the central leadership, he said, and it had nothing to do with the Sena’s stand. Tawde said Somaiya, in view of his track record, will be suitably compensated in the near future. Sources in the BJP claimed Somaiya has been reportedly assured of a Rajya Sabha ticket. Other sources claimed his son Neel could be given the Assembly ticket from Mulund.
“I am very happy that Manoj Kotak got the ticket. We all will support him and ensure his win. Ultimately, our aim is a second term for (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji. Responsibilities within party keep shifting, there is nothing new in it,” Somaiya told NDTV.
The BJP also declared five candidates in Uttar Pradsh to take on the stalwarts; these include Dinesh Pratap Singh from Rae Bareli, who will take on Sonia Gandhi. It also fielded Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirhua” from Azamgarh against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Prem Singh Shakya to take on SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri.
