Weakened Sena-BJP battles Rane's empire in Konkan

Five years ago, they voted for the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance and sent 11 MLAs to the Maharashra state assembly. But, with their biggest leader jumping ship, voters from the Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts of Konkan are wondering which way to go.

Konkan’s strongman, Narayan Rane, was a follower of Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. He has shifted parties in the past five years and is now a Congress minister. Rane is taking every measure to wipe out the Sena-BJP alliance from the Konkan belt.

This will help the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress (NCP) combine’s attempt to return to power in Maharashtra and also strengthen Rane’s own chief ministerial prospects.

After Rane’s exit some three years earlier, the Sena and its BJP partner are facing state elections for the first time, on October 13. And are having a tough time countering Rane and his supporters.

The Konkan belt comprises Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. A large chunk of voters are in farming and fishery. For years, the head of a typical family used to earn money in Mumbai and send it back to family members in Konkan, the classical money order economy model. As the Shiv Sena proliferated in Mumbai post-1970s, this ‘family economics’ paved the way for the Sena’s Konkan entry.

Today though, the Konkan voters seem confused over supporting Rane or the party more familiar to them, Shiv Sena. “We have been voting for Shiv Sena for the last 15 years. But now we will vote for Congress, as ordered by our local leaders,” said a voter from Kankavli, the native place of Rane. “Whether Shiv Sena comes to power or Congress, Rane Saheb’s word is final here,” another Rane supporter in Ratnagiri stated.

The row over Reliance Industries Ltd’s Special Economic Zone proposal in Raigad district, inflation and unemployment in Konkan are crucial issues over which candidates are seeking votes. The huge mines coming up in the Sawantwadi region (Sindhudurg) is also seeing protests from locals.

Prior to delimitation, Konkan had 18 seats. The Sena-BJP alliance had won 11 in 2004. While the Congress-NCP combine had clinched six seats, the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI) emerged winner in one.

This time, there are 15 seats. While Congress has Rane by its side, the Sena-BJP alliance has joined hands with the PWPI. Complicating things,the BJP’s sitting MLA from Guhagar constituency (Ratnagiri), Vinay Natu, has rebelled against the Shiv Sena’s leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Ramdas Kadam. The alliance also has to overcome a strong NCP in Raigad district.

“Rane had no role to play in Raigad district. He is quite influential in the seven assembly constituencies spread in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. We expect certain dents in this region but an action plan has been prepared to minimise Rane’s influence,” a senior Sena leader from Khed told Business Standard.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Rane’s son, Nilesh, had defeated sitting Sena MP Suresh Prabhu in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency by over 45,000 votes.

However, Prabhu had managed to take a slender lead in Rajapur assembly constituency, while Nilesh Rane was ahead in the remaining five assembly segments. Political observers believe Rane will spoil the Sena-BJPs prospects in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts but the latter’s alliance with PWPI will help them gain more seats in Raigad district.