Warring alliance partners Shiv Sena and BJP seem to have decided to join hands to seize power in the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC), a move that hints the allies are likely to face the BMC polls, scheduled for 2017, together. Sources in the BJP said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was keen on having a post-poll alliance with the Sena so that the parties can face the BMC elections together.
Barely a few days after having a face off, the BJP and the Sena have started discussing a post-poll alliance for the KDMC. Sources in the BJP said the CM was keen that the partners seize power as neither of them got an absolute majority. The Sena won 52 seats and the BJP 42 out of 122 seats. “Contrary to the earlier moves to contest the poll alone, the party leadership from both sides are said to start talks. This has also signalled that the parties might have to go it together for the Mumbai civic body polls. Earlier, we were told to contest all local bodies’ elections alone. But the situation has changed now,” a senior Sena leader said.
After the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, the BJP has emerged as the strongest party in the state, receiving unprecedented support from the people. This boosted the confidence of the party and raised expectations from workers to gain power at local levels also. In the KDMC too, the BJP won 42 seats when it had managed to win only nine seats in the previous election. But in the larger scheme of things, the party failed to get the desired majority and the Sena remained its status as numero uno.
“The decision to start talks with Sena has been taken by the top leadership and we are following it up. Even the CM is keen on going with the Sena. This was said to be a litmus test before the BMC poll,” a BJP leader said, on condition of anonymity.
Sources in the Sena pointed out that the BJP might be getting a good public response but has no network of its own. “The party had always used the Sena for the local networking... The party has no option but to go with the Sena even for the BMC polls,” a Sena MP said.
