BJP not keen on mid-term polls in Maharashtra

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which till recently was keen on holding mid-term polls in Maharashtra, is now having second thoughts on the issue because of altered political equations in the state, especially because of the coming closer of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, which might make the going a bit tough for the BJP.

BJP leaders reckon that midterm polls may not be such a good idea now. “It is a risky proposition, we know that the Congress and NCP will fight together, so the votes won't be divided like last time, and even if the Sena doesn't join the two parties formally , there will be an electoral understanding -these two parties would field weak candidates in around 80 seats for the Sena, and the latter may do the same for seats where the Congress and NCP are strong,“ said a BJP leader, requesting not to be identified.

Recently, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray even challenged the BJP to go for midterm polls. Interestingly, the talk of mid-term polls was in the air since February, but Thackeray commented on it at a rally only now.

The BJP top leaders at the Centre and Maharashtra thought that if the party did well at the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls -which it did -then it would go for midterm polls in Maharashtra to cash in on the sentiment.They argued that the Sena, despite being its ally in the state, was taking potshots at it at every given opportunity.

BJP leaders said their internal projections suggested that the party could get easily around 160-180 seats in Maharashtra if mid-term polls were to be held, which means the party would come to power on its own -144 seats are needed for majority.

The BJP currently has 123 legislators in the 288-member House; it has the support of 11 legislators from smaller parties and Independents, but it is still short of the 144-mark, hence the Sena support.

However the UP results had a different impact, at least in Maharashtra. BJP's comprehensive victory -winning more than 300 of the 403 seats in UP -forced the Congress and NCP to unite. And even the Shiv Sena, which is BJP's ally in the state, became wary of its dominant partner.