Rival party MLAs Krishna Hegde and Nitin Sardesai are unperturbed with Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to contest election from Vile Parle and Dadar.
The set back received by the BJP in the by poll election has given a shot in the arm for the Shiv Sena to bargain for more seats. Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray who is the race for the Chief Minister’s post is likely to contest polls from one of the two constituencies in the city from either Dadar or Vile Parle. Krishna Hedge, Congress MLA from Vile Parle and Nitin Sardesai MNS MLA from Dadar are not worried after hearing the news about Thackeray contesting from both these localities.
Krishna Hedge, Congress MLA from Vile Parle said, “Earlier, there was news that Raj Thackeray will fight from my area. But later he denied the news. Now there are reports that Uddhav Thackeray will fight from my area. I won’t say that it does not make any difference for me but I will just say that I don’t have any problem. I am not afraid of him.”
Nitin Sardesai, MNS MLA from Dadar, said,” It is his wish. He will fight from whichever area he wants to. I am not scared. I have done good work from my constituencies. I am comfortable in my position. I will fight and whosoever wants to be pitted against me, can do so.”
Shiv Sena which has adopted a tough stand to contest the assembly election is unwilling to give a larger share of seats to the BJP. The BJP which had sweeped the Lok Sabha polls had proposed a 50:50 seat sharing agreement which was unacceptable to Sena. The saffron party then suggested a 135 seat sharing formula which was rejected by Sena. Later, the by poll results forced BJP to bow down before Shiv Sena as the party finally agreed to contest on 119 seats. Thus the Shiv Sena had the last laugh when it came to seat sharing agreement in the Maharashtra.
Sena had also said that the state election is a different ball game altogether as there is no assurance of a repeat of Lok Sabha performance in the assembly polls. After the by poll setback faced by BJP Sena has asked the party to keep its feet firmly on the ground. Sena said that there is no Modi wave in Maharashtra and the state assembly election is different from Lok Sabha election. The party also warned BJP to avoid complacency and start preparing for the assembly election. It said that the by poll election results were a wake up call for the party as voters have given their verdict. Sena said that the party cannot avoid the interest of the common man who might even vote against it due to poor governance.
