PUNE: After forming an alliance, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have started conducting reunion rallies in the State while the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are busy pointing fingers at each other.
Earlier, the Sena used to heavily criticise the BJP leaders and their policies. After the reunion, the Shiv Sena and BJP have decided to work closely with each other without any prejudice. Both parties have appointed coordinators. The BJP has given this responsibility to senior leader Girish Bapat and Shiv Sena to leader Neelam Gorhe for western Maharashtra.
After these appointments, the BJP-Shiv Sena have started organising reunion rallies for smooth functioning and to work closely with each other. The first such rally will be organised in Amravati in which Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray will address workers of both parties. In Pune, both parties have organised a rally for western Maharashtra region from March 18.
The Congress and NCP were working closely before the announcement of the elections. Both parties conducted rallies individually. Now after announcement of elections, both parties declared the list of candidates, but they haven’t announced any rallies in the State.
In Pune city, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar made a negative statement against Congress senior leader Radhakrishna Vikhe’s son Sujay candidature. In response, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil announced that he will not take part in any election campaign of NCP candidate in Ahmednagar. Congress leaders raised question on the candidature of Maval LS Parth Pawar’s (Ajit Pawar son).
Speaking to Sakal Times, Ramesh Bagwe, Congress City Unit President denied any rift between NCP and Congress. “We started working in the city along with the NCP. We are organising small rallies at the local level. We are completing ground work and are awaiting for announcement of candidates. After that, we will organise joint rallies in the city.”
