As assembly elections loom, BJP dumps MNS alliance in Nashik civic body

Mumbai: The Maharashtra BJP’s move to snap ties with MNS and support the Shiv Sena in the Nashik Municipal Corporation ahead of the assembly elections seems to be a master stroke with multiple gains in one move.  It is also a major setback for the MNS given the fact that it had its first mayor in Nashik, a city which had been projected as being the testing ground of a development plan that was the brainchild of MNS chief Raj Thackeray. With 40 corporators in the 122 member municipal corporation, the MNS is presently in power in the corporation, with its ally BJP since 2012. While the BJP has 14 corporators, the Shiv Sena has 19 in the Nashik civic body, which will now elect its new mayor on 12 September. However, the BJP has snapped its ties with MNS alleging that the party has not kept its promise of giving the chairmanship of the all powerful standing committee, which is responsible for all financial transactions of the civic body. The BJP’s decision is being seen as a move by the party to escape the anti-incumbency in Nashik in the upcoming assembly elections. MNS’ declining popularity is also said to be one of the reasons behind the move. [caption id=“attachment_1705987” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The Nashik civic body was said to be a testing ground for the MNS leader’s ‘development plan’. AFP image[/caption] The people of Nashik voted for the MNS in the 2009 general election and in the 2012 civic election over issues like migrants, the party’s promise of increasing the Maharashtrian presence in education, entrepreneurship and its ‘blueprint of development’ for the city. There are three MNS MLAs from the city. BJP leaders said they had extended support to MNS in 2012 under different circumstances. “Now, in view of upcoming assembly elections, we have decided to support our main ally Shiv Sena and not to the MNS,” said a BJP leader, who did not want to be named, adding that it would also send a strong message about the bond between them and the Shiv Sena. However, MNS leaders have slammed the BJP claiming that the party was making false allegations. “The allegations of betrayal are false. The BJP snapped ties with us only due to assembly elections. But if we get directions from MNS chief, there will be an MNS mayor,” said a MNS MLA from Nashik, who is also a senior party leader, on condition of anonymity. He added that it would not have any impact on the MNS in the upcoming assembly elections. In the recently held the Lok Sabha elections, the MNS faced a total rout in all its ten candidates lost their security deposits. Moreover, its vote share also decreased from 4.06 per cent in 2009 to 1.5 per cent in 2014. Political observers said that the BJP snapped ties with the MNS because it realized the alliance wouldn’t help in the upcoming elections. “The political relationship between BJP and MNS was always very fragile. Raj Thackeray’s approach towards BJP has always been ambivalent, which is why it is no big surprise that the BJP decided to snap ties with the MNS. During the Lok Sabha election, the various stances taken by Raj Thackeray were very confusing and misleading not only for the BJP but for MNS supporters as well. After the Lok Sabha election, the BJP realized that the MNS is not going to be helpful for it in the elections,” Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst, said.