Shiv Sena trying to woo BJP legislators

Vijay Times, Sept 11, 2005

B D Narayankar

Bangalore: Even as State BJP unit is recovering from the split-threat following party strongman B S Y ediyurappa’s efforts to join hands with JDS for an alternate government, the party appears to be heading for another crisis.

The Shiv Sena is making all out efforts to rope in BJP MLAs. T op Shiv Sena leaders in the State told Vijay T imes that they had been in constant touch with many BJP MLAs, all proHindutva fire-brands. They claimed that legislators like Appu P attanshetty (Bijapur), Abhay P atil (Bagewadi), Sunil K umar (Karkala), C T Ravi (Chikmagalur), Raju Kage (Kagwad), Suresh Marihal (Kittur) and Shashikant Naik (Hukkeri) whom they had approached "had shown interest and appreciated Shiv Sena’s Hindutva ideology .’’

The Shiv Sena leaders expressed confidence of BJP legislators joining their party "at an opportune moment". ’’There is no other option for them but to join our party . They have won because of our support. They know they cannot win election without Bajrang Dal and VHP support,’’ they said. The announcement of Bajrang Dal and VHP’s support to Shiv Sena’s ’Hindu rastra’ concept had sent shivers down the spine of some BJP leaders.

’’They are fully aware that they won the election because of Hindutva agenda. The party’s newfound love for ’secularism’ triggered by L K Advani’s pro-Jinnah pronouncements in P akistan would take it (BJP) no where, the Shiv Sena leaders claimed.

Shiv Sena was consolidating its strength in North Karnataka districts of Bagalkot, Bijapur , Haveri, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum. The party had established its base in the State by winning two seats in Belgaum City Corporation and the deputy mayor’s post, State Shiv Sena president Pramod M utalik said. ’’N ext mayor will be from our party ,’’ said Vilas P awar , a close associate of M utalik.

The State BJP leaders, however , pooh-pooh Shiva Sena’s claims. Abhay P atil, MLA denied that anyone had approached him for joining the party . ’’Why should I join it? I am what I am because of BJP . I cannot betray it. Even if Shiv Sena approaches me I will say no to it,’’ he said.

BJP sources asserted that though Shiv Sena had approached the legislators, none of them would desert the party . ’’If the MLAs join the Shiv Sena, they will have no future. Shiv Sena is yet to grow in Karnataka.’’

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray plans to visit the State in November and address a public rally at Hubli. All-out effort to rope in BJP MLAs Pro-Hindutva legislators made target Consolidating in NK districts T wo seats in Belgaum city corpn & Dy Mayor s post BJP leaders confident no one will leave Bal Thackeray visiting State in Nov.