AURANGABAD: The bitter breakup of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and the stiff challenge the former allies posed to each other during the assembly polls had an embarrassing fallout on Saturday morning in Osmanabad, around 250 km from here, when supporters of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad and BJP leader Sanjay Nimbalkar came to blows in the presence of state revenue minister Eknath Khadse.

Khadse, who also holds the agriculture portfolio in the state cabinet, is touring Marathwada region to analyse the intensity of drought after the meagre 52% rainfall in the monsoon season. The state is likely to seek a special package from the Centre to deal with the severe drought.

As a part of the tour, Khadse was in Osmanabad on Saturday morning. After attending a programme at Saknewadi in the district, he reached the residence of BJP district president Nitin Patil, where some BJP and Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS) leaders were waiting for him.

Within minutes of Khadse’s arrival, Gaikwad reached there. His presence was questioned by some BJP workers, who are at loggerheads with Sena leaders, especially after Nimbalkar’s loss in the elections from Tuljapur assembly constituency.

Soon, a heated argument broke out between Nimbalkar and Gaikwad regarding the MP’s presence during the BJP meeting. A minor scuffle between the leaders was quickly controlled.

No case has been registered so far, but the Osmanabad police have increased the bandobast across the district to keep a check on possible clashes between the supporters of the two leaders.

Speaking to TOI, Nimbalkar said, “Gaikwad arrived when BJP office bearers were in a meeting with Khadse. Gaikwad is responsible for BJP’s rout in Osmanabad district and he supported NCP and Congress candidates in the district. Sena and BJP workers dislike him.”

Nimbalkar said he lost his cool because of the language used by Gaikwad. “I caught hold of him but the supporters separated us,” he said.

Osmanabad Shiv Sena district president Sudhir Patil said, “Today’s incident is nothing but the BJP’s frustration as they could not bag even one seat in the district despite Modi’s election rally. Sanjay Nimbalkar claims that as he had campaigned for Gaikwad during general elections and in return, the Sena leader should have helped him.”

Khadse played down the incident, saying it was just a heated argument between the leaders, but admitted that the relations between the former allies have soured. “The relations between BJP and Sena workers have soured as both the parties contested against each other in the assembly elections,” he said.

Gaikwad could not be reached for his comment.

