NAGPUR: In professional football parlance it’s called a loan. Top international clubs loan their players to other clubs to earn quick money.

The BJP is now trying to lend one of its active workers, a Dalit leader in his own right, to its ally Shiv Sena that is looking for a new candidate from Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency — reserved for a scheduled caste candidate — this time.

Top BJP sources confirmed that the party’s regional Dalit cell general secretary Sandeep Gavai has been given a go ahead to seek the Sena ticket from Ramtek. The seat comprising rural constituencies of Nagpur district is held by the Sena for the last three terms. Two years ago, two-time winner for Sena Subodh Mohite defected to the Congress. But in the 2007 bypolls he was humiliated by Sena’s Prakash Jadhav, confirming that the Sena-BJP still holds sway there.

Not long ago, Ramtek was considered as the strongest fort of a candidate and was found convenient to rehabilitate P V Narasimha Rao, who won from Ramtek and clawed to power in the Congress to become the prime minister. The political scenario has drastically changed over a last few years there and is much against the Congress because of its penchant to field rank ‘outsiders’ from that seat. Even after delimitation, two of its assembly segments (Ramtek, Kamptee) are with the Sena-BJP. But with the seat getting reserved status, the Sena is finding it difficult to select a new candidate. Harshwardhan Nikose, sarpanch of Parseoni for ten years and now zilla parishad social welfare committee chairman, who joined the Sena two months ago, is a strong claimant. Others like Dr Vitthalrao Dange, Krupal Tubhane and Pawan More are also waiting in the wings to join the party if offered the Lok Sabha ticket.

Seeing an opportunity, Gavai has obtained a sort of ‘no objection’ from party boss Gadkari to switch over. He is hopeful that when it comes to the crunch, Gadkari would prevail on Sena top bosses to accommodate Gavai, who has made it big as prominent city builder. The Sena is not exactly falling head over heels to give Gavai the ticket as it fears that being Gadkari’s close associate, he would be riding on their back if elected as an MP.