Mumbai, Mar 20 (IANS): The BJP and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra have decided to work together for the victory of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's son -- Shrikant Shinde, for the third successive term in Kalyan Lok Sabha seat with a higher margin compared to the 2019 elections.
After the meeting that took place on late Tuesday evening between Shrikant Shinde -- who was accompanied by BJP Minister Ravindra Chavan, and senior office bearers of both the parties, it was unanimously decided to step up the outreach with the voters up to booth level to increase the voting percentage and margin.
Incidentally, Chavan, who is a close confidant of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, unilaterally announced Shrikant Shinde's candidature in the Kalyan seat.
Chavan's announcement was welcomed by leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena who decided to keep aside their differences and work to ensure Shrikant Shinde's "historic victory".
The meeting on Tuesday helped to remove hitches between the two parties who strongly believe that Shrikant Shinde's victory will help to achieve MahaYuti's ambitious Mission 45 plus in Maharashtra. They also decided to focus on wooing the first time voters from the 18-29 age category.
Leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena claimed that Shrikant Shinde's victory is also necessary for the BJP's 400 plus mission, and to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi becoming the PM for the third time in succession.
In Kalyan constituency, Shiv Sena has a lone MLA in Ambarnath assembly segment.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shrikant Shinde bagged 4,40,892 votes and defeated NCP nominee Anand Paranjape who got 1,90,143 votes.
In the 2019 elections, Shrikant Shinde got 5,59,723 votes against NCP's Babaji Patil who bagged 2,15,380 votes.
The total number of voters in Kalyan Lok Sabha as per the March 2024 data is 20,18,958.
Chavan and Shrikant Shinde appealed to the leaders to take up with the voters a slew of development works by the Central and state governments carried out in Kalyan in a serious bid to push its transformation.
Chavan's intervention was important as the rift between the two parties was widening, and it reached a peak after the scuffle between BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and Shinde faction leader from Kalyan, Mahesh Gaikwad, that led to opening fire on the latter.
Ganpat Gaikwad is currently in jail while Mahesh Gaikwad has been discharged from the hospital and resumed the party work.
A section of BJP leaders had also expressed serious displeasure over Shrikant Shinde's style of functioning and especially the neglect in giving due credit for their contribution in undertaking and completion of a slew of development projects in Kalyan constituency.
However, Shrikant Shinde preferred to keep quiet and avoid verbal duels, and approached BJP leaders and workers for rapprochement in a bid to avoid further cracks in the alliance.
Thereafter, the March 19 meeting happened to send out a message that "all is well" between BJP and Shiv Sena cadres.
This was also possible after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, spoke to each other and directed the workers from respective parties to maintain restraint and avoid giving any handle to the opposition.
The resolve by two parties for Shrikant Shinde's victory is also important as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP Sharadchandra Pawar are yet to conclude their seat sharing talks and arrive at consensus over Kalyan seat and the candidate.
The MVA constituents will also have to bring everyone on the same page to put up a formidable fight against Shrikant Shinde.