NCP to back MNS, independents in key constituencies

Opposition to bank on saffron unrest

Teaming up: BRSP leader Suresh Mane (centre) will take on Aaditya Thackeray in Worli with NCP’s support. Photo courtesy: NCP Twitter handle

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is set to take advantage of the unrest within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena by supporting rebel or independent candidates in some constituencies, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in others.

Suresh Mane, a senior leader of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra, is set to be the Opposition’s candidate against Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray in Worli. Mr Mane, a former Bahujan Samaj Party and BAMCEF leader, recently founded his own Bahujan Republican Socialist Party (BRSP).

“We will be supporting his candidature. He may contest on our party’s symbol, but as a candidate of the BRSP,” a senior NCP leader said.

Strong support

Worli has been the centre of the Left and Dalit movements in the past, even witnessing riots between the Sena and Dalit Panthers in the 1980s. It is home to sizeable Dalit and Muslim communities.

Mr. Mane has widespread influence on middle-class, intellectual Dalits, which the NCP hopes to benefit from in other parts of the State as well. Mr. Mane did not respond to attempts to call him.

In Dhule city constituency, former BJP MLA Anil Gote is rebelling against his party and found support in the NCP. A critic of the NCP since the times of the Telgi fake stamp paper scam and an ardent opponent of party leader Chhagan Bhujbal, Mr. Gote seems to have mended fences with the Pawar family.

Offer to Khadse

The NCP has also offered support disgruntled BJP leader Eknath Khadse, whose name has not featured in the three BJP candidate lists.

In Pune, the Opposition will back MNS candidate Kishor Shinde against BJP State president Chandrakant Patil in Kothrud. “Why divide votes by fielding another candidate? It is better if we extend support to only one candidate,” the senior NCP leader said. He added that there will be silent rebels within the BJP in Kothrud, as sitting MLA Medha Kulkarni is unhappy after being denied a ticket.

In Kalyan rural, the NCP will again support the MNS candidate, Pramod alias Raju Patil, who will take on the Sena. It hopes to capitalise on the tension in the Sena ranksdue to the mess created in announcing the candidate. Party workers are against sitting MLA Subhash Bhoir’s candidacy, while Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde has named Ramesh Mhatre as the party’s official candidate. Both Mr. Bhoir and Mr. Mhatre now claim to be the Sena’s candidate.