The death of former union minister and senior BharatiyaJanata Party leader, GopinathMundehas adversely impacted the over two decade old poll alliance. There are strong speculations that the bond cemented by Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and BJP PramodMahajan to take on the Congress, has developed severe cracks in the backdrop of Munde’s untimely death last month.

The writings on the wall are clear that the BJP, euphoric  over its parliamentary poll hands down triumph has gained confidence that it no more needs to piggy ride on the back of the Senato win polls in Maharashtra.

 

On Thursday, at the BJP state council meeting held at Andheri stadium, BJP workers unanimously demanded BJP should review its poll pact with Sena and should go to the forthcoming legislative polls alone. Senior leaders- union minister for Information and Broadcasting  PrakashJavdekar and state BJP president DevendraPhadnavis seriously hinted at the need for BJP to contest all the 288 seats as desired by the party workers.

 

Phadnavis even went a step ahead and assured the gathering of 5000 delegates that their demand would be met and BJP’s state leadership would delegate two workers each for two assembly constituencies to nurture with an eye on the assembly polls slated for October. 

 

This is viewed as a clear indication that Munde’s close aides have been sidelined and their dominance in the party is on the wane. The demand made by the workers and the leaders consenting to their demands to dump Sena on the eve of the assembly polls is expected to spell trouble for the Sena whose popularity in the state on the downslide following the death of Balasaheb Thackeray, according to a senior BJP leader in Mumbai.

 

He further added that Sena put up an impressive show in the parliamentary elections because of the NarendraModi wave sweeping the country and not because of its political brand value, but in the assembly polls it prospects appear to be bleak. “Therefore, BJP should go to the polls alone instead of hopelessly playing step-brother to the Sena whose ageing leadership is not expected to wrest power from the Congress-NCP alliance. BJP will upset the cart for the Congress-NCP alliance if it contests all the 288 seats alone.

 

However, a Sena leader chose not to attribute much importance to the discussions that took place at the party council meeting in Mumbai. But he expressed his annoyance about BJP dreaming big at the cost of the Sena. “BJP should be realistic in their approach and not take Sena for granted. If BJP breaks away from the alliance, we are prepared with a contingency plan to fight the assembly polls scheduled for October,” claimed the Sena leader.