Lok Sabha polls: Sena, BJP in blame game over Aurangabad
The allies are blaming each other after the defeat of Chandrkant Khaire, Shiv Sena’s four-term MP
The blame game has begun between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena in Aurangabad after the defeat of the Sena’s four-term MP and senior leader, Chandrakant Khaire. While Khaire has blamed the BJP’s state unit chief, Raosaheb Danve, for his defeat, the BJP has refuted the allegation.
Khaire was defeated by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Imtiyaz Jaleel by just 4,492 votes. Harshavardhan Jadhav, sitting Sena MLA who had resigned from the party, fought as an independent and got 2.84 lakh votes. Jadhav is the son-in-law of Danve, and Khaire has alleged the latter worked for Jadhav and not for him in the election. While Jadhav called Khaire’s allegation baseless, the BJP said Khaire’s loss was due to his non-performance as an MP.
After elections were held in Aurangabad, Khaire had written a letter to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and CM Devendra Fadnavis complaining against Danve. “Since the results are out there is no point talking about it now. I stand by my complaint made immediately after the voting day,” he said on Saturday.
When contacted, Danve was not available for comment.
Kishanchand Tanwani, BJP’s Aurangabad city president, said, “Khaire’s defeat is due his non-performance and anti-incumbency. Voters were unhappy with him as he could not solve the issues of water scarcity and (getting a new) dumping ground. BJP tried its best for his victory despite him criticising our leadership for five years.” Reacting to Khaire’s claims, Jadhav said, “Had Danvesaheb helped me, I would have won. He admits that two sitting BJP MLAs worked for him, but Danvesaheb worked for me. How is this possible?.”
After the Maratha community intensified its agitation last year demanding legislation for reservation in jobs and education, Jadhav was the first to resign as MLA. He floated his own party and fought the polls.
“Sena has a base among Marathas and Other Backward Classes in Aurangabad. The votes he got are the traditional votes of Congress and Shiv Sena and ensured Khaire’s defeat,” said a local Sena leader.
