E-Paper
Two ministers among 5 BJP seniors to not make Maharashtra list
The decision to drop these senior leaders is being attributed to the BJP’s central leadership, and is seen as a signal that the performance as well behaviour of state leaders will be reviewed.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dropped five of its senior party leaders from its list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, schedule for October 21.
Higher education minister Vinod Tawde, power minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, former ministers Eknath Khadse, Prakash Mehta — both six-term legislators — and party whip in the assembly Raj Purohit did not figure in the final list of candidates released on Friday.
Also Watch: Maharashtra Assembly polls 2019: Key issues that will determine results
While Khadse’s daughter Rohini will be fielded from her father’s Muktainagar seat, the rest were replaced with other local leaders. In the city, Tawde was replaced in Borivili seat by Mumbai BJP general secretary Sunil Rane and Mehta’s Ghatkopar East constituency went to party corporator and real estate developer Parag Shah. In Colaba, the BJP has fielded NCP leader Rahul Narvekar in place of Purohit. Instead of Bawankule, the party chose former Nagpur district chief Tekchand Sawarkar.
The decision to drop these senior leaders is being attributed to the BJP’s central leadership, and is seen as a signal that the performance as well behaviour of state leaders will be reviewed.
The unease over dropping of names of senior leaders was reflected in their constituencies, through the clashes in Ghatkopar and protests in Borivli. Mehta’s supporters blocked and vandalised the car of the party’s official candidate, Shah; Tawde’s party supporters protested outside Borivli office of BJP.
This infighting, however, is unlikely to have any impact on these constituencies, considered BJP strongholds.
“I am introspecting over why I was not given a ticket from Borivli; the party will also think about this...Both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state chief Chandrakant Patil tried to get a ticket for me, but ultimately these decisions are made by the high command,” said Tawde.
Mehta said, “I don’t know why I have been dropped and I haven’t even asked the reason. I will seek the answer and then share it with my party workers...”
“Instead of having someone from outside represent us, it is better that one of us gets a chance. I have always accepted even the bitter decisions of the party leadership...,” Khadse said.
Similarly, despite day-long drama over his candidature, Bawankule claimed he was neither upset nor being sidelined. “I had been told by the party leadership that I should focus on all seats in eastern Vidarbha instead of being caught in one election. And, I’ll focus on that...”
