Devendra Fadnavis wants to go with Shiv Sena for BMC polls

MUMBAI: The outcome of the 2017 civic elections could probably have a bearing on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ fate. Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) stands a good chance of winning the civic polls to Mumbai, Thane and other municipal corporations in alliance with the Shiv Sena but equations could change if the party were to fight the polls alone.

The Sena has been ruling the Mumbai Municipal Corporation for more than two decades and would ideally like to have an alliance with the BJP. However, many BJP leaders have continuously attacked and derided the Sena much to Fadnavis’ discomfiture.

“Fadnavis wants an alliance with the Sena for the civic polls because it would be easier for his government to function with the Sena as an ally. If the Sena breaks up with the BJP over the BMC civic polls and withdraws support, Fadnavis may have to seek NCP’s support as it would be 22 short of a majority. This is not acceptable to the CM,” said a BJP leader.

According to the BJP leader, though the Sena has been a difficult ally, Fadnavis would still prefer it to NCP. “The Sena is preferable simply because Fadnavis enjoys a good equation with Uddhav in spite of clashes between the two parties. If the Sena withdraws support and the BJP is forced to take NCP’s support, then it would directly affect his (Fadnavis) clout in the government as the NCP would extract its pound of flesh by interfering in the government’s functioning and decision-making,” the BJP leader added.

Another BJP leader said that accepting Nationalist Congress Party support would damage the party’s public profile as it had targeted the NCP for its ‘numerous scams’ in the run up to the 2014 elections.