Council polls: Shinde Sena raises pitch for defeat of BJP candidates

Signalling a friction within the ruling Mahayuti, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leaders said they will not support BJP candidates in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar seats for the October 23 Maharashtra Council polls.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sena MLA Abdul Sattar said they will support the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate.

In Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar graduates constituency, the NCP has fielded Satish Chavan as the joint Mahayuti candidate. In Pune teacher's constituency, the Sena said they have decided to support independent candidate Chandrakant Sanap and not BJP candidate Kaustubh Gawade.

"The Shiv Sena unit in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar has decided to support the candidate of NCP (SP). This is because the NCP candidate Satish Chavan had worked against our party when we elected him the last time," Sattar told reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Similarly, Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar told The Indian Express, "We are supporting independent candidate Sachin Sanap in Pune teacher's constituency and not BJP candidate Kaustubh Gawade. This is as per our party's decision."

Shinde Sena had first announced that it was withdrawing its support for NCP candidate Satish Chavan in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. However, just the next day on Saturday, Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat, a senior Sena leader, held a press conference and announced support for the Mahayuti candidate.

But Sena MLA Abdul Sattar said they will not support Mahayuti candidate. To this, Shirsat said Eknath Shinde will give appropriate instructions and directions to Abdul Sattar, and the issue should be resolved.

"According to the order given to me by Eknath Shinde saheb, I had withdrawn support for Satish Chavan in the graduates' election. After that, discussions took place between Sunetra Pawar, Eknath Shinde and BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule. After these developments, Eknath Shinde gave me a fresh order that we support Satish Chavan. Yesterday, we announced our support for Satish Chavan. Perhaps all these things were not known to Abdul Sattar, or they hadn't reached him. On this, Eknath Shinde saheb will give appropriate directions and instructions to Abdul Sattar, and after that, this matter should be settled," Shirsat said.

Meanwhile, in Pune teacher's constituency seat, the BJP versus Sena battle seems to be hotting up with Dhangekar declaring that "only a teacher will become the MLC for teachers".

The Sena had first fielded Mangesh Chivate but the party asked him to withdraw from the fray following pressure from the BJP. However, now the Sena Pune unit is backing independent candidate Sachin Sanap, who is a former personal secretary to Industry Ministry Uday Samant, a Sena leader.

Sachin Sanap said, "Sena chief Eknath Shinde has two days ago openly announced support to me. One of the BJP leaders is unnecessarily saying something else. He should not mislead the voters."

"With Shiv Sena's political backing, the ground has slipped from under the opponents' feet, leading them to attempt to mislead voters," Sanap said.

Sanap said despite being such a large party, BJP could not find a teacher candidate for the teachers' constituency election. "MLAs and ministers have descended into the field to campaign against me. Eknath Shinde knows the pulse of the voters and understands well which way the wind is blowing, which is why he showed trust in a teacher like me," Sanap added.

In the same constituency, BJP has fielded Kaustubh Gawade while the Congress has re-nominated Jayant Asgaonkar.

In the Pune graduates constituency seat, Smita Jadhav, the niece of Congress MLC Satej Patil has been fielded by the BJP as Mahayuti candidate. While Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav, daughter of former Pune Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh, has been fielded by NCP (SP) as Maha Vikas Aghadi. The BJP has tried to corner Satej Patil but he has remained firm on his support to MVA candidate

In the Amravati Teachers' Constituency as well, there are at least three BJP rebels against the Shiv Sena. BJP sources said the issue has been resolved in Amravati. In Nagpur, Sharad Pawar supporters are in the fray against Congress candidate.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said,"I am sure the Shiv Sena president will take appropriate decision and the issues will be resolved.."