Palghar suspense ends: BVA’s Baliram Jadhav files his nomination

As former alliance partner, Bahujan Maha Party (BMP), took away their symbol, a whistle, the BVA has applied for another symbol – a whistle, an autorickshaw or a ring. The EC will take a decision on it on April 13.

Ending the suspense over the candidate from Palghar, the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi-Congress-NCP-CPI(M) on Tuesday fielded Baliram Jadhav from the seat.

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The move came as surprise to the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance as Jadhav, 65, who recently lost his aged mother and brother, was in mourning. Sitting MP Rajendra Gavit will fight on a Sena ticket in the constituency, which goes to polls on April 29.

Talking to the media, BVA chief Hitendra Thakur said, “We chose Jadhav as he is the face of the BVA, and had won the seat in 2009. During his stint, he carried out a lot of development works such as launching the much-delayed Churchgate-Dahanu shuttle, gas pipeline for Vasai-Virar-Palghar and others.”

As former alliance partner, Bahujan Maha Party (BMP), took away their symbol, a whistle, the BVA has applied for another symbol – a whistle, an autorickshaw or a ring. The EC will take a decision on it on April 13.

Thakur said, “Losing the symbol is not such a big deal. We fought three elections in the past using three different symbols such as spectacles, the Congress’s hand and the whistle, and won all of them. Those days, there was no social media. Using technology, we will publicise our new symbol within two days.”

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, during his roadshow in Vasai-Virar last week, had indirectly called Thakur’s partymen “thugs” (goondas). Reacting to it, Thakur said, “The Sena-BJP ruled the state and Centre for the past five years. If we are thugs, why didn’t they act against us?”

A total of 21 candidates have filed their nominations for the seat. The scrutiny will be done on April 10, and withdrawal of nominations can be done on April 12.