Nashik: With power at both the Centre and the State, recent sweeping victories in municipal council elections, and strong prospects of repeating success in the upcoming Nashik Municipal Corporation polls, the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena are currently enjoying a political boom. Leaders from the rival Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, and other parties are lining up to join these two parties in large numbers.
However, this influx of defectors just ahead of the elections has caused visible unease among long-time loyal party workers who have been aspiring for candidature. In several wards, half a dozen aspirants from within the party are already in the fray for a single seat, and the inclusion of outsiders has intensified anxiety about how tickets will be distributed.
The BJP appears determined to win the municipal elections by any means, while Shiv Sena has taken an aggressive stand, insisting it will contest only if it receives a respectable number of seats within the Mahayuti alliance. Both parties seem to be giving little importance to their third ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), as the number of aspirants in the BJP and Shiv Sena is significantly higher.
As BJP leaders have reportedly avoided discussions with local NCP leaders, NCP representatives have approached senior leaders in Mumbai, seeking intervention. While the BJP, as the “big brother” in the alliance, is willing to offer Shiv Sena a fixed seat quota, Shiv Sena is not fully satisfied with the proposal. How this deadlock will be resolved is expected to become clear soon.
Meanwhile, even before any formal announcement of a Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) has suffered a major setback in Nashik. Former mayors Vinayak Pandey and Yatin Wagh joined the BJP on Thursday, while senior Congress leader Shahu Khaire as well as SS (UBT ) leader Sanjay Chavhan, also switched sides. Rahul Dive and Asha Tadvi, former corporators who recently quit the Congress, were denied entry into the BJP and subsequently joined Shiv Sena instead.
According to Minister Girish Mahajan, a long queue of leaders is still waiting to join the BJP, making further defections possible at a crucial moment. After the BJP, many leaders view Shiv Sena as a safer alternative, often seeking an assurance of candidature before switching parties.
Loyalists Discontented in Both Parties
While the ongoing mega inductions have pleased the leadership of both BJP and Shiv Sena, deep resentment is brewing among party loyalists who have remained committed for years and have been preparing to contest elections. Many feel that loyalty has been reduced to a secondary consideration, with priority being given to “winnability” while inducting defectors.
Several loyal workers have expressed anger that original aspirants from the wards are not taken into confidence before admitting outsiders. This dissatisfaction is expected to surface strongly once the official candidate lists are announced.
