Mumbai, Oct 4 (PTI) Fresh fissures emerged in the ruling Mahayuti on Sunday in the run-up to the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls after the BJP announced its candidate for Pune Teachers constituency, which Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has also staked claim to.
Earlier in the day, the BJP announced three candidates for the upcoming elections, fielding Kaustubh Muralidhar Gawde from Pune Division Teachers constituency.
Shiv Sena’s Mangesh Chivte said Shinde has directed him to file nomination papers for the Pune Teachers constituency.
“Our demand was that Pune Teachers seat should go to the Shiv Sena and Graduates constituency to the BJP. But that has not happened. I am facing pressure from teachers to face the polls (as the Pune Teachers constituency candidate). Deputy CM Shinde has directed me to file nomination. The decision (on whether to contest polls) will be taken by him (Shinde) later,” Chivte said.
Chivte had been preparing for the polls from the seat for sometime now.
Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant said his party was interested in Pune Teachers constituency and not the Pune Graduates constituency.
“We still hold claim to the Pune Teachers constituency and our candidate is Mangesh Chivte. If he fills the form then it will be as a Shiv Sena candidate. The BJP candidate will fill his form and then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde will take appropriate decision,” Samant asserted.
Shiv Sena minister Bharat Gogawale too backed Chivte, adding that discussions are underway over the latter’s candidature.
Chivte has been working on this constituency and there is nothing wrong in making such a demand, Gogawale claimed.
Biennial elections are being held for Pune Division Graduates, Nagpur Division Graduates, Pune Division Teachers, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates and Amravati Teachers constituencies. Polling will take place on October 23 and votes will be counted on October 27. PTI PR BNM
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