Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday withdrew its candidate from Ward No. 2 after facing strong internal opposition, following which nominee Pooja More-Jadhav stepped aside amid mounting pressure from party workers.
More-Jadhav, who had managed to officially get AB form from the BJP to fight the polls on the party’s symbol from the Republican Party of India (RPI) quota, withdrew her nomination a day after old videos surfaced online in which she was seen criticising chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Maratha reservation issue and making personal remarks against him. The clips were widely shared by political opponents and BJP supporters alike, triggering strong reactions within the party.
More-Jadhav said she was being targeted unfairly. “I come from a rural background and have worked with the Maratha morcha. After marriage, I came to Pune and joined the BJP. Once the party gave me the ticket, my opponents started trolling me on social media for the past two days. I have now decided to withdraw my nomination and will continue to work for the BJP,” she said.
BJP MP and Pune leader Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the decision, saying the party acted in response to workers’ sentiments. “Considering the emotions of our workers and local sentiments, the party decided to make changes in the ticket. Similar changes have been made at three places,” Mohol said, without naming the other wards.
{{/usCountry}}BJP MP and Pune leader Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the decision, saying the party acted in response to workers’ sentiments. “Considering the emotions of our workers and local sentiments, the party decided to make changes in the ticket. Similar changes have been made at three places,” Mohol said, without naming the other wards.
{{/usCountry}}Hailing from Beed district and later moving to Pune after marriage, More-Jadhav had earlier been associated with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and was an active participant in the Maratha Kranti Morcha agitation. After her marriage, she shifted to Pune and later joined the BJP. Her candidature from ward number one was announced as part of the party’s civic poll strategy to field relatively new faces.
However, soon after the ticket was announced, BJP workers objected to her nomination, arguing that her earlier stand against the party leadership was unacceptable. The issue quickly snowballed online, forcing the party leadership to review its decision.