Mumbai, Jan 1 (NationPress) As the Municipal Corporation elections draw near, a noticeable rise in internal dissent within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has prompted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take decisive action to quell the unrest.

In the past couple of days, the Chief Minister has embarked on a targeted outreach initiative, seeking to soothe the frustrations of dissatisfied candidates and party members in various regions, aware that such internal discord could jeopardize the party’s chances in significant municipal elections.

With the number of dissenters escalating in key municipalities, CM Fadnavis has reportedly contacted influential local leaders via phone, urging them to mitigate the internal conflict.

Equipped with a comprehensive list of specific dissenters whose candidacies could harm the party’s electoral prospects, the Chief Minister is taking a proactive stance.

Not only has CM Fadnavis stepped in to address the rebellion, but he has also delegated senior ministers like Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, and state BJP President Ravindra Chavan to engage with the dissenters and persuade them to align with the party's objectives.

To ensure that the official candidates face minimal disruption, the Chief Minister has outlined specific roles for these leaders, who are responsible for overseeing areas where dissent is most pronounced.

According to BJP sources, the Chief Minister has also had direct discussions with several influential dissenters to comprehend their concerns and encourage them to retract their opposition.

This intervention comes at a time when loyal party members have openly expressed their discontent.

Instances of unrest have surfaced across the state, including an attempt to vandalize the vehicle of Minister Atul Save and the heckling of senior leader Bhagwat Karad in Sambhajinagar.

In Nashik, numerous aspirants have criticized Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan for allegedly overlooking loyalists during ticket allocations.

In some cases, party officials have encountered physical confrontations during local gatherings. In regions such as Mira Road, former BJP corporators have even formed independent groups to contest against the party’s official candidates, complicating the BJP's quest for a majority.

“The Chief Minister’s intervention aims to transform the ‘Bandoba’ (rebels) into ‘Thandoba’ (those who have calmed down). By utilizing personal diplomacy and entrusting crisis management to regional leaders, the Chief Minister and the party hierarchy seek to present a united front before the elections,” stated BJP sources.

Meanwhile, the BJP has successfully negotiated with key dissenters in Mumbai, where the party is contesting 137 seats, while leaving 90 seats for its ally Shiv Sena.

In a noteworthy development, Mumbai BJP President Amit Satam has persuaded rebel candidate Sandeep Jadhav to retract his independent nomination from Goregaon.

Sandeep Jadhav, the General Secretary of the BJP’s local unit, had submitted his nomination as an independent candidate from Ward No. 54 in the Goregaon Assembly constituency.

Even though Jadhav’s name featured favorably in internal party assessments, the BJP opted to nominate Viplav Awasare instead. Upset by this decision, Jadhav had resigned from the party to run independently, posing a substantial threat to the BJP’s official candidate.

However, after a late-night discussion on Wednesday, Amit Satam successfully mediated the conflict. Satam reportedly assured Jadhav of a prominent role within the Mumbai BJP Executive Committee and promised to respect his dignity within the party.

“To raise the saffron flag over Mumbai, we must operate under ‘Devabhau’s’ (Devendra Fadnavis) guidance for the betterment of the city and the nation,” Satam informed Jadhav.

Following this commitment, Jadhav agreed to withdraw his nomination and has pledged to support the official candidate, Viplav Awasare.

This resolution in Goregaon is part of a broader, statewide ‘cleanup operation’ spearheaded by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

As the deadline for withdrawing applications approaches, the BJP leadership is tirelessly working to ensure that the ‘rebel factor’ does not fracture the party’s vote bank, especially in the crucial electoral contest for Mumbai.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)