Breaking the deadlock over who from the ruling MahaYuti alliance will contest the Nashik Lok Sabha seat, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Minister Chhagan Bhujbal withdrew from the race on Friday. Both Bhujbal and sitting Shiv Sena MP from Nashik Hemant Godse were vying for nominations from the seat.
Bhujbal, a veteran OBC leader, said due to indecision over the Nashik seat, precious campaigning time was being lost, especially when the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has already declared its candidate from the Lok Sabha seat. He added that if the deadlock continues, the MahaYuti will have to make greater efforts to win the seat.
#WATCH | Mumbai: Maharashtra State Cabinet Minister and NCP leader (Ajit Pawar faction) Chhagan Bhujbal says, “The issue regarding Nashik seat has not been cleared yet. The MVA declared its candidates three weeks ago and started campaigning. The more time we take the more loss we… pic.twitter.com/ExSMLpKLUO— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024
“The issue regarding Nashik seat has not been cleared yet. The MVA declared its candidates three weeks ago and started campaigning. The more time we take the more loss we will face. Therefore this deadlock had to be broken…I decided that I did not want to be part of this fight…I have decided that I will not be the candidate (from Nashik),” he told media at a press conference in Mumbai.
Bhujbal, however, made it clear that his decision, in no way, signals discontent against the NCP leadership, saying that he would campaign for the candidate to be finalised by the MahaYuti for Nashik.
“I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and my party leaders also for considering my name for Nashik seat. I will campaign wholeheartedly for the MahaYuti candidate in Nashik and also in other constituencies,” Bhujbal added.
With Bhujbal’s announcement, the ball is now in the court of the other MahaYuti partners – the BJP and the Shiv Sena – to decide the candidate for the Nashik seat.
Apart from Bhujbal, the BJP has staked its claim citing its strength, while sitting Shiv Sena MP Hemant Godse had already launched his campaigning demanding his renomination.
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