All 37 BJP corporators also unanimously declared that they would not work for Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde , in the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency in future elections.
Ulhasnagar : The BJP-Sena feud in Ulhasnagar has taken a sharp and personal turn, with the BJP alleging that the entry of people associated with the Kalani group — which it described as having a “criminal DNA” — was deliberately damaging the BJP-Sena alliance.
In a counterattack, Shiv Sena leader and husband of Ulhasnagar mayor Ashwini Nikam, Kamlesh Nikam, who is close to the Kalanis, directly targeted Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan, alleging that several criminal cases were registered against him and describing him as a “member of the Manchekar gang”. The allegations against Chavan could not be independently verified.
BJP district president Rajesh Vadhrya, MLA Kumar Ailani, Ex-District President Pradeep Ramchandani and other local leaders held a news conference and said their differences were not with traditional Shiv Sainiks, whom they claimed continued to maintain cordial relations with the BJP. He said the Sena had supported BJP candidates, including Sulabha Gaikwad, Ravindra Chavan and Kumar Ailani, and warned that the Sena would work against the BJP’s three MLAs if the confrontation continued. The confrontation follows the bitter dispute over the appointment of seven nominated corporators in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC). The local BJP leadership has decided to withdraw from the civic alliance with the Sena and sit in opposition. It has conveyed the decision to the party’s senior leadership, which will take the final call on whether the BJP will formally continue its alliance with the Sena in the UMC. They alleged that the entry of people associated with the Pappu Kalani group into the Sena and the shelter and post of Mayor given to him by Shrikant Shinde had changed the political equation. Sena UMC group leader Arun Ashan rejected the allegations, claiming the BJP had not fully supported Shrikant Shinde in the previous election. Nikam demanded Chavan’s removal as state BJP president, saying his continuation would widen the alliance rift.