PUNE: Veteran farmer leader and founder of the Shetkari Sanghatana, Sharad Joshi, is all set to snap ties with the BJP and extend support to the Aam Admi Party (AAP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year.
Joshi held a closed-door meeting with senior leaders of the Sanghatana and its political outfit - Swatantra Bharat Paksh (SBP) in Aurangabad, on Thursday, to discuss a possible alliance with the AAP and seat- sharing for the Lok Sabha elections.
Joshi's move follows his estranged protege and Swabhimanin Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) MP Raju Shetty joining hands with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. A decade ago, Shetty had deserted Joshi, his mentor then, accusing him of 'compromising' on principles and joining 'communal' forces. Joshi was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member by the BJP.
"We had detailed discussions on a possible alliance with the AAP. However, we are not sure about using AAP's symbol
. We also have to discuss economic programmes with the AAP, but are positive and hope the alliance will work out," Manvendra Kachole, former president of the Swatantra Bharat Party, told TOI. He said Joshi was never a member of the BJP and had only supported Atal Bihari Vajpayee and not his party.
Joshi's SBP wants to contest Nanded and Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituencies and has nearly finalized Gunwantrao Patil and Vamanrao Chatap as its candidates. Joshi, in turn, plans to support the AAP in western Maharashtra, locking horns with the BJP-Sena-SSS alliance.
A senior Swatantra Bharat Paksh leader who attended the meeting told TOI that Joshi will make a formal announcement about the alliance after discussions with Arvind Kejriwal.
The Swatantra Bharat Paksh, formed in 1994 by Joshi, has a strong base in some districts of Vidharba, Marathwada and western Maharashtra and could play a significant role in the state's renewed political equations.
Source - Times of India
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