Maharashtra polls: Over 100 candidates of major parties have defected, with most joining the BJP

MUMBAI: Several contestants, who defected after the key alliances fell apart, are engaging consultants to keep tabs on their campaign team and the cadre of the party they have joined.

Experts say this trust deficit stems from the fact that in most cases, parties have preferred winability to loyalty while selecting candidates. According to an assessment of a political consulting firm, more than 100 candidates of major parties have defected, with most joining the BJP.

For instance, MLA Sanjay Savkare of the NCP has joined the BJP to contest from Bhusawal, and Ram Kadam has defected from MNS to fight on a BJP ticket from Ghatkopar West. While some of the candidates have managed to bring in their core team with them, many have to depend on local cadres for their campaigning effort.

Such candidates are somewhat sceptical and want to know if the feedback given by team members is reliable and how would it impact their campaign strategy, said Dhawal Vasavada of Gurgaonbased political consultancy firm Political Edge.

“Candidates are still assessing their individual standing vis-a-vis the party in the minds of the voter, and that’s perhaps why our service is so important in such a multicornered contest,” he added.

Apart from such candidates, seasoned veterans are also tapping these firms for political intelligence and in-depth analysis of the situation in their constituency.