Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The political atmosphere in the city has heated up following a statement by OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the elder brother in the Mahayuti. In response, Shiv Sena MLA and Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat replied in his unique style.
Against the backdrop of the Municipal Corporation elections, BJP election in-charge Atul Save clarified the party’s stand at a press conference on Thursday. He said the BJP is strong in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city and district at present and, therefore, will act as the elder brother in the Municipal Corporation elections, irrespective of claims made by others. However, he added that the final decision would be taken through discussions. A Mahayuti meeting will be held on Friday, he said.
Save stated that the BJP has strengthened its position in the district over the past ten years. In the last election, Shiv Sena contested 58 seats and won 28, while the BJP contested 33 seats and won 22.
Responding to Save’s claim, Shirsat said it is important to find a middle path for seat-sharing to safeguard the Mahayuti. The issue cannot be resolved through press conferences and requires discussions, he said. He added that Shiv Sena has six MLAs and one MP in the district. “If the BJP considers itself the elder brother, there is no harm in accepting it,” Shirsat said.
Meanwhile, it is likely that aspirants who do not receive tickets from the BJP or Shiv Sena may switch to Shiv Sena (UBT) or other parties. To avoid rebellion, both the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) have not yet revealed their alliance strategy and are expected to distribute forms at the last moment. Sources said the BJP is delaying decisions to prevent internal dissent.
The process of interviewing aspirants is currently underway. So far, the BJP has interviewed around 500 aspirants, and interviews of the remaining candidates are in progress. The party is attempting to field strong candidates in every prabhag, party sources said.
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