Andheri East byelections: Cold battle in Maharashtra, BJP withdraw its candidate 

By Express News Service

MUMBAI: The chilly battle in BJP out on Monday after the BJP’s abrupt declarations of withdrawing its candidate Murji Patel towards Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rutuja Latke in Andheri East byelections.

According to the sources, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar was agency and decided to struggle the Andheri East by-elections to energise the social gathering cadre and get a significant victory. But senior leaders together with deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have been towards it owing to the potential of loss forward of the BMC elections.

“Shelar was the first person to announce the candidature of Mulji Patel on his social media even before the decision of the BJP’s parliamentary board. He was confident to win, the reason in previous assembly elections, Muji Patel had bagged 42,000 votes as an independent candidate. Now, on BJP’s support and symbol, there were chances of giving a good fight to Rutuja Latke. On other hand, Thackeray factions had old party names and no traditional symbols also,” stated the supply requesting anonymity.

He added, “Shelar told his leaders that they should fight by-elections irrespective of the result, but BJP leaders refused to accept his argument saying this Andheri East result will have larger repercussions on the alliance and stability of the three-month-old government as well. Therefore, giving up one MLA is not big when there is a larger goal in hand.”

ALSO READ | Relief to Uddhav: HC steps in, paves manner for candidate to contest bypoll

“The loss in Andheri East would have given a major message that BJP was not ready to accept. Therefore, Shelar’s decision was overruled at the eleventh hour by senior BJP leaders by withdrawing its candidate. BJP can afford a few days of negative battle, but not prolonged battles that would have damaged the party image badly,” he additional added.

Sources stated that on Sunday late at evening the assembly between Devendra Fadnavis and Ashish Shelar befell at Meghadot bungalow of Fadnavis, then in a while Monday, Maharashtra BJP in-charge TC Ravi had a gathering with Ashish Shelar the place the ultimate determination of withdrawing candidate was taken.

Later, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule made the withdrawal announcement in Nagpur.

Ashish Shelar, talking to the media, stated that the withdrawal of Murji Patel’s candidature determination was taken on the senior stage. The social gathering employees and cadre ought to stay charged for the BMC elections, he added.

MUMBAI: The chilly battle in BJP out on Monday after the BJP’s abrupt declarations of withdrawing its candidate Murji Patel towards Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rutuja Latke in Andheri East byelections.

According to the sources, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar was agency and decided to struggle the Andheri East by-elections to energise the social gathering cadre and get a significant victory. But senior leaders together with deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have been towards it owing to the potential of loss forward of the BMC elections.

“Shelar was the first person to announce the candidature of Mulji Patel on his social media even before the decision of the BJP’s parliamentary board. He was confident to win, the reason in previous assembly elections, Muji Patel had bagged 42,000 votes as an independent candidate. Now, on BJP’s support and symbol, there were chances of giving a good fight to Rutuja Latke. On other hand, Thackeray factions had old party names and no traditional symbols also,” stated the supply requesting anonymity.

He added, “Shelar told his leaders that they should fight by-elections irrespective of the result, but BJP leaders refused to accept his argument saying this Andheri East result will have larger repercussions on the alliance and stability of the three-month-old government as well. Therefore, giving up one MLA is not big when there is a larger goal in hand.”

ALSO READ | Relief to Uddhav: HC steps in, paves manner for candidate to contest bypoll

“The loss in Andheri East would have given a major message that BJP was not ready to accept. Therefore, Shelar’s decision was overruled at the eleventh hour by senior BJP leaders by withdrawing its candidate. BJP can afford a few days of negative battle, but not prolonged battles that would have damaged the party image badly,” he additional added.

Sources stated that on Sunday late at evening the assembly between Devendra Fadnavis and Ashish Shelar befell at Meghadot bungalow of Fadnavis, then in a while Monday, Maharashtra BJP in-charge TC Ravi had a gathering with Ashish Shelar the place the ultimate determination of withdrawing candidate was taken.

Later, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule made the withdrawal announcement in Nagpur.

Ashish Shelar, talking to the media, stated that the withdrawal of Murji Patel’s candidature determination was taken on the senior stage. The social gathering employees and cadre ought to stay charged for the BMC elections, he added.