The BJP started a probe into its Nagpur MLC poll defeat to check if Mahayuti allies failed to campaign. Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule took responsibility for the loss. He said, "We will introspect to understand the reasons for the defeat." The party will now review coordination issues at the grassroots level.
Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule took responsibility as the BJP began reviewing its Nagpur MLC poll defeat. The exercise will assess grassroots coordination and possible lapses by Mahayuti partners.
Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said the party will examine the reasons for its defeat in the Nagpur Graduates' constituency in the recent Legislative Council elections, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The BJP will also review whether any of its Mahayuti partners failed to campaign for the alliance's candidates. Bawankule said the party had given importance to the Nagpur Graduates' and Pune seats and had planned extensively to win them, but accepted the results.
Taking personal responsibility for the defeat in Nagpur, where he was the BJP's election in-charge, Bawankule said, "We tried hard and our party workers and leaders met the voters from the graduates' constituency. However, there seem to have been some shortcomings. We will introspect to understand the reasons for the defeat."
Asked whether the Shiv Sena had failed to support the BJP despite being a Mahayuti ally, he said, "Instead of a blame game, we will review which partner of the Mahayuti did not work in favour of the alliance candidate."
Referring to the Amravati constituency, Bawankule said Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had sought the BJP's help, following which the party's MLAs and MPs campaigned for the alliance candidate, PTI reported.
"Our MLAs and MPs went to Amravati and campaigned for their candidate. However, in some places, the alliance coordination could not be seen. The three Mahayuti partners will deliberate on this," he said.
Bawankule said the alliance would examine whether instructions from the leadership of the respective parties were followed at the grassroots level and whether anyone had acted against the party line or the understanding among the coalition partners.
"We will see whether the clear instructions from the party leadership were followed at the ground level. We will identify those who worked against the party line or the Mahayuti understanding and issue a reprimand," he said.
On the Pune Teachers' constituency, Bawankule said the alliance partners had openly acknowledged a friendly contest and the BJP had won the seat. The Shiv Sena had supported an independent candidate there.
He added that the BJP would review instances in other constituencies where alliance partners may not have honoured the understanding supporting one another's candidates.
Voting for the Pune Graduates', Nagpur Graduates', Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates', Pune Teachers' and Amravati Teachers' constituencies was held on October 23. Counting began on October 27 and the results were declared on October 28.
The Congress won the Nagpur Graduates' seat, while the NCP (SP) secured the Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates' seats. The BJP won the Pune Teachers' seat and the Shiv Sena secured the Amravati Teachers' seat.
The BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party are the main constituents of the Mahayuti.