Kolhapur: The BJP is closely monitoring developments within the NCP, following the declaration of the nomination of sitting Lok Sabha member Udayanraje Bhosale from the Satara Lok Sabha constituency, on an NCP ticket.The party has preferred to adopt the ‘wait and watch’ stand about the developments in Satara politics and are planning to spring a surprise at the very last moment. BJP state leaders as well as Satara office bearers are currently camping in Mumbai to come up with a suitable strategy in order to select an appropriate leader, who can fight against Udayanraje Bhosale in the Lok Sabha (LS) constituency.Sources in the BJP said that the party is currently holding a round of negotiations with the Shiv Sena to clarify some issues, which involves the Satara seat. The Shiv Sena has traditionally been contesting the Satara LS seat but the saffron party has sent some signals that it is not interested in contesting the Satara LS seat this time around. In this case, the BJP needs to surrender one seat to the Sena, which will overcome the major hurdle of finalizing the candidate.However, leaders from the party are closely monitoring the various developments within the NCP. Udayanraje faces strong resentment from his own party leaders in the district of Satara. The BJP believes that any intervention by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to pacify the disgruntled elements of the party is unlikely to work, considering the current political situation.Udayanraje was the first choice of the BJP to be handed a ticket, in case he was denied one by the NCP. However, the BJP has stopped chasing Udayanraje and has started concentrating on trying to convince his cousin-brother Shivendraraje Bhosale, who is under pressure from his supporters to join the BJP after Udayanraje was given the NCP ticket.Sources in the BJP said that the party had opened channels with Shivendraraje, even though he was present in the NCP meeting of Satara leaders, which had been called by Sharad Pawar.Narendra Patil, the leader of the powerful lobby of headload workers, recently joined the BJP and has undertaken campaigning in the constituency. However, the party has asked him to keep a low profile in view of the current fluid political situation in the Satara LS constituency.Patil is expected to the BJP’s choice if Shivendraraje Bhosale or any other NCP leaders do not accept the BJP’s offer to contest against Udayanraje. The BJP, however, believes that a large section of NCP leaders would work for their candidate.The BJP also hopes to get a major chunk of the traditional Congress vote bank as former Congress MLA Madan Bhosale officially joined the BJP in the last week.

Stay updated with all the Latest Kolhapur headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.