PIMPRI: After the announcement of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, now it is almost certain that Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Shrirang Barne will be the alliance nominee for the Maval Lok Sabha seat.
Laxman Jagtap, who fiercely contested the 2014 polls against Barne is now a BJP MLA and also the party’s unit president. There is however, suspense as to who will be the NCP candidate to challenge the Shiv Sena in its stronghold. Recently, there was speculation that Parth Pawar, son of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, would be contesting the parliamentary seat as NCP candidate. The party’s leader Sanjog Waghere may be considered as the party’s nominee for the seat.
Jagtap, a former mayor and NCP leader, was a candidate of the Peasants & Workers Party (PWP) in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He emerged as the second candidate while NCP’s Rahul Narvekar stood third.
As the war of words continued between the BJP and Shiv Sena, both Barne and Jagtap prepared themselves to fight the parliamentary polls.
Even after the announcement of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, a BJP faction has been demanding that the BJP seek the Maval seat from the Shiv Sena. But the Shiv Sena is unlikely to give up its claim on this seat from where the party’s Gajanan Babar had won in 2009.
Both Babar and Jagtap are Barne’s political rivals. After joining the BJP, Jagtap has succeeded in helping the party win power in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and has a large number of corporator supporters. Barne will therefore need the help of the BJP and Jagtap supporters to ensure a poll victory.
